A Family's Faith
by charmings88
Summary: Post-Wicked Witch of the West Storyline. Charming and Emma have been working hard at solving all the problems caused by the Wicked Witch of the West. They were just starting to get things back to normal, when someone turns up to try to destroy their happiness once again.
1. Separated

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (For future content – not necessarily in this chapter) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 1! Just to let any of my followers of Love is Strength story know that I haven't abandoned it, but will just be writing these two stories simultaneously! :) This is a new idea I had and I am not quite sure where I am going with it just yet, but I hope you like it so far! Any reviews or ideas are welcomed! **

Premise: This story takes place post the Wicked Witch of West storyline and everyone is back in Storybrooke. Charming and Emma are once again working together as the Storybrooke's police. It's been about a month after everyone was reunited and things have been a bit crazy for the residents of Storybrooke (like normal). Charming and Emma have been working hard at solving all the problems caused by the Wicked Witch of the West. They were just starting to get things back to normal, when someone turns up to try to destroy their happiness once again.

"_Wherever you are, I will always find you." –Prince Charming_

"_I told you I would find you. No matter what you do. I will always find you." – Prince Charming _

"_If you need anything." – Prince Charming_

"_You'll find me." –Snow White_

"_Always." - Prince Charming_

**Separated**

"Emma!"

Emma wasn't sure why her father was yelling her name so fiercely, but it sounded like he was worried. She just wanted to sleep a while longer especially because she has a terrible headache.

"Emma. You need to wake up now."

She could feel him trying to shake her awake and that's when she realized that she wasn't on her comfy bed, but on something rough and rather uncomfortable, almost like she was laying on the ground. She slowly opens her eyes to see David, staring anxiously down at her.

"What's going on?" Emma said as she starts to take in her surroundings, seeing that they are in some kind of a forest with a bunch of debris around them. This wasn't Storybrooke. "Where are we?" Emma asked in a weary voice, hoping that she was wrong and this was just the forest in Storybrooke.

"The Enchanted Forest." Charming said, for once sounding rather old and tired. For once he wouldn't mind not having to search for his family or have to try to get back to his family, but here he was again, having to find his way back to his family.

It all was coming back to her, King George had been hiding for weeks after being brought back to Storybrooke by the curse from the Wicked Witch of the West. They were able to overcome the Witch. King George was the least of their worries since they got back, but he decided to show up today with another way to cause her father to suffer the same pain he went through. King George had pulled out a magic bean and threw it at Emma's feet. Emma believes that he might have been trying to just send her through the portal, but her father of course went to help her. She started to fall, but David was able to grab her and drag her away from the portal, but not before the floor underneath her fell. David caught her hand and almost had her to safety when King George knocked David so that he would either let go of Emma or fall in with her. They both ended up falling through the portal.

Emma could see that her father was just as disappointed as she was about being separated from their family again. After everything their family has been through, you would think that at some point they could just be with each other and not have to worry about being separated.

"Are you okay?" Charming asked, looking Emma over for any injuries. He could tell that she was remembering all that had happen and realizing that they once again had to find their family again.

"Yeah, yeah. I am fine." Emma said even though her head was pounding and her body felt sore from the fall. They had more important things to worry about.

Charming nodded and helped Emma up. Charming could tell that she was not telling the truth because over the last few years he has gotten to know his daughter pretty well to know when she is telling the truth or not. This time he lets it go because besides hitting her head, she seemed like she was fine.

"What are we going to do?" Emma asked as she looked around seeing nothing, but the forest.

"First, we need to figure out where we are in the Enchanted Forest and then we need to set up camp. It is going to get dark in a couple of hours." Charming responded confidently.

"Okay. Lead the way." Emma said feeling rather glad that her father had come with her through the portal because if the last time was any example, she didn't do very well in the Enchanted Forest. It was foreign to her in many aspects, but luckily for her the last time she had her mother and this time her father. She would never openly admit that she needed them, but she really didn't know this place even if she had been born in it. It was a comfort to her that her father seemed to know what to do. She just wished she could be of some help, but she really had no clue where they were and how they were going to set up camp when they had nothing to set up.

Charming gave Emma a soft smile, knowing that she felt uncomfortable and out of her element when it came to the Enchanted Forest. "It's okay, Emma. We will get back to them." Charming said and then they started to walk through the forest. He had his daughter to take care of and a family to get back to. If there was one thing he knew how to do, it was to find his family.

Emma nodded. It was still hard for her come to terms with the fact that their family always finds each other, but they have always found each other so maybe this time would be the same. Oddly enough, Emma was beginning to have faith in their little motto of always finding each other, but it was still hard to be that positive. Mostly she trusted her parents' faith. "I know." Emma said.

"When we do get back to your mother and Henry, your mom is going to be a little angry that we missed her big dinner she was planning for tonight." Charming said with a humorless chuckled as he tried to lighten the mood.

"Oh, why did you have to bring that up? I am starving." Emma said as she groaned. She really hoped that Chimera wasn't on the menu during this excursion in the Enchanted Forest. She didn't care for whatever food that was.

Charming chuckled at Emma's expression. If there was one thing that wasn't a secret, it was that Emma loved food and the food in the Enchanted Forest didn't quite compare to the food at home. Charming put his arm around Emma as they walked. "I am truly sorry that you are missing such a great meal, but I might be able to find you some Chimera." Charming said with a mischievous grin, which turned into a laugh as he saw Emma's horrified expression at the mention of Chimera, her least favorite food from the Enchanted Forest.

"Seriously? You know how I hate that stuff, whatever it is." Emma complained as she gave Charming an annoyed glare.

"It is part lion, part serpent, and part goat. It's actually not that bad." Charming teased Emma as he tried to control his laughter.

Emma gave him a disgusted look. "That's gross. Why would I want to eat it after knowing what was in it? I believe that is why I didn't try it in the _first_ place."

"Okay. I guess Chimera is off the menu." Charming said with a smirk.

"Good." Emma said with a small grin as they continued to walk through the forest with her father's arm around her shoulders.

They walked for about 2 hours, but to Emma it seemed like it was much longer. Her legs were sore from the trek and wondered how her parents use to do this all the time. Walking or riding horses instead of being able to use cars must have been rough. She was following her father who was about 15 feet ahead of her. He seemed like he had an idea of where they were going, but she was beginning to wonder as the time passed. You would think they would have been somewhere by now, but they were still in the middle of the forest. She wasn't sure if she could do this much longer, when her dad stopped and turned around to face her.

"I am going to climb one of these trees to see if I can see where we are. Just wait here for me." Charming said not wanting Emma to get lost in the woods especially knowing that she didn't have much of a sense of direction. Plus he wasn't sure what was in these woods and he wanted her to be close to him so that he could jump down and help her if she needed it. He wished he had his sword as well because the guns they had weren't going to do them much good here especially if there were any ogres around.

"I'll be fine." Emma said annoyed at her father's overprotectiveness.

"Just don't wander off." Charming said in a tired, yet firm voice.

"I can take care of myself." Emma replied, not liking what he was implying.

"I know you can, but we don't know what are in these woods. Anyway, it would be better if we didn't lose each other in this forest." Charming argued with a no nonsense expression that he knew Emma wouldn't try to challenge.

"Ok. I'll stay here, not like there is anywhere else to go anyway." Emma reluctantly agreed, knowing that her father had a good point, but hating feeling dependent on someone else. Although, she had gotten more use to it since she had found her family, it was still something that she had to get use to. She was glad to have her parents back in her life once again because it was nice to have someone to watch out for her, but at times it was just down right annoying.

"Good. I'll be right back." Charming said with a small smile at his victory. He knew that Emma was out of her element, but she tended to try to act like she didn't need help in any situation. He could tell from her eyes that she was uncomfortable about being in the Enchanted Forest and he could tell that she was a little afraid of what they might find.

At this time, Emma had finally caught up with Charming and he could see that she looked really worn out by the hike. "Why don't you rest while I climb the tree? We probably will have to still go a little ways before we make camp." Charming said as he put his hands on each of her arms looking at her concerned.

"How far is a 'little ways?'" Emma asked, her head was still hurting from the fall and she was sore from the walk. She was also afraid that if she sat down, she wouldn't be able to get up again.

Charming just chuckled as started to climb up the tree.

_That can't be good if he won't tell me how long that is. _Emma thinks as she lowers herself to the ground to lean against the tree that her father is climbing. She doesn't understand how he still has energy when she has hardly any left. She wanted to close her eyes, but she figured that she should be keeping watch in case anything comes out of the forest. She really hoped there weren't any ogres hanging out in the forest. Although, she did know that she needs to shot them in the eye because her mother taught her that after a close encounter the last time she was in the Enchanted Forest. Then again, the last time the ogre took the gun out of her hand and crumpled it. She really hoped her dad would hurry up and get back down; she was starting to freak herself out. Plus she was trying really hard to stay awake, but she kept having to force her eyes back open every once in a while.

Charming was able to figure out the general area of where they were and where they needed to head from seeing the land from the top of the tree. He carefully climbed back down the tree. He hadn't heard Emma at all so he assumed that everything must be fine. He jumped down to the ground and found his daughter asleep against the tree. She had been working long hours for the last couple of weeks and had been overly tired that morning so he isn't surprised that she fell asleep once she sat down. He hates to have to wake her up, but they need to get going again. They only have about an hour to an hour and half left of daylight.

"Emma, honey. We have to get going." Charming said as he gently rubbed the sides of Emma's arms up and down.

"I am awake." Emma said as she jerked awake. _Crap I fell asleep. _

Charming smiled and helped her to her feet. "I found out where we are which, if I'm right, we are about one day away from our old place. If we can get to it we may be able to get some supplies, but tonight we will have to make due with what we have and what we can find." Charming said mostly to himself because Emma was still half-asleep.

"More walking?" Emma complained to Charming.

Charming nodded and started walking again, but then called back to Emma. "Only a little bit more tonight."

Emma groaned, but started to follow David through the forest. As they walked, Emma started to wake up more, but then felt the burn in her legs as she continued to walk. She kept thinking that they would stop soon, but they kept going and going.

"Are we stopping soon?" Emma asked knowing that it was coming out a lot whinier then she had planned it to come out, but in all fairness her head was ponding, her legs were beyond sore at this point, and she was exhausted so she deserved to be whiny.

Charming chuckled quietly to himself at the way she was acting like a little kid Then he looked back to see Emma, who had fallen back about 30 feet and was actually looking a little pale. "We are almost there." He waited for her to get caught up with him, which took longer than figured it would. She had slowed down quite a bit. "Are you feeling okay?" Charming asked, as she got closer.

"Yeah, I am fine." Emma lied.

"You don't look fine." Charming said with a frown, but then continued walking as Emma got to him.

They continued to walk side by side for the next ten minutes with David shooting Emma glances every once in a while to make sure she was okay. Just about when Emma thought they would never stop, they got to the edge of the forest.

"We will camp just inside the tree line tonight and then tomorrow we will head to the castle. It will take all day on foot, but we should get there by nightfall." Charming said confidently.

Emma nodded, which she regretted when it caused her headache to get worse. She was glad to be done walking for the day, but she wasn't looking forward to a full day of walking tomorrow.

**Please Review and Let me know what you think! :) **


	2. What's for Dinner?

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (For future content – not necessarily in this chapter) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 2! Sorry this took forever! Let's just say that I laughed a lot as I wrote this chapter…. :) Hope you like it! Thanks for all the reviews on chapter 1! Enjoy! :) **

**What's for Dinner?**

Charming tried to get Emma to sit down and just rest as he got the camp set up, but Emma insisted that she could help. She was picking some berries that he pointed out to her while he was finding wood so that they could build a fire. He could tell that her head was hurting by the way she kept scrunching up her face, but she wouldn't admit that she was feeling poorly. He spotted a stream just outside the forest that might just have some fish in it. At least he hoped it did, because besides the berries, fish was the only other option for dinner, especially with the lack of weapons.

Charming had collected enough wood for the fire and found a nice, strong stick. He was busy sharpening it with his pocketknife when Emma walked back with the berries.

"What are you doing?' Emma asked curiously as she sat down next to her father.

"Making a spear." Charming said through a chuckle at her confused expression. He imagined she would have looked that way when she was a little girl.

"Why?" Emma asked just as confused at before.

"I think that the stream down there may have some fish in it, but I need something to get them with. That's when this comes in handy." Charming said with a grin as he showed her his sharpened stick.

"Oh, okay." Emma smiled. She was quite impressed at her Dad's resourcefulness. She would have never thought of doing that.

"There is two different ways we use to fish. One being the common why with a fishing pole like you are probably familiar with and the other way we called gigging. Normally, we had a multi-pronged spear that we would spear the fish with in the streams…" Charming informed Emma as he continued to sharpen his stick.

Emma just nodded as her father told his little spiel on his fishing techniques. She had noticed over the last little couple of months when they weren't super busy that David tended to give her detail explanations or stories of a multitude of topics whenever they came up in their conversations. She thought it was cute that he was fitting into his dad role and she didn't mind his little informative speeches. Most of the time they were interesting especially if they were about the Enchanted Forest and she also enjoyed listening to her father. Emma smiled as her father continued to tell her about how he use to alternate between using his fishing pole and his spear when he was younger.

"Since we don't have a fishing pole or a gigging spear, this will have to do. Maybe we will have some fish tonight. Well I think that is good enough! You want to come with me or stay here and rest?" Charming asked looking at his daughter concerned.

"I'll come with you, I have to see this." Emma chuckled at the thought of David trying to spear a fish.

Charming smiled as he stood up with his spear and gave Emma a hand up. "You can try it too. Now, there is a proper way to spear a fish…." Charming started to inform his daughter on the proper stance and way to spear a fish as they walked down to the stream.

When Emma and Charming got to the creek, Charming showed Emma how to 'spear a fish,' but didn't actually spear one just yet. Emma try her hardest not to laugh as her father continued to tell her what to do because he looked so funny trying to spear the fish.

"Got one! See I told you!" Charming said with a proud smile as he lifted his spear with the fish stuck to it.

"I have to say, I am impressed." Emma said through a giggled. Although, her head was still hurting, she wouldn't have missed this for the world. She was enjoying herself and could not help, but laugh at her father trying to 'gig' or 'spear' the fish.

"Now, it's your turn." Charming said catching Emma off guard.

Emma hesitated, but then thought she mays well try, especially because her dad was so excited about it. "Okay, I'll try." Emma replied as she too got into the water next to her father.

Charming instructed Emma how to stand and when to stab the fish. "You have to stand really still so that the fish do not realize that you are there." Charming said after her first few attempts failed.

Emma did as she was told and stabbed at a fish. "I got it!" Emma said, excitedly as she showed her dad the fish.

"You did! You are a natural!" Charming said proudly as he gave Emma a side hug and put the fish with the one he caught.

For the next little while, father and daughter took turns trying to spear the fish and ended up catching two more fish. They decided to call it quits because the sun was setting and they had enough for dinner. Emma was exhausted and her head was throbbing, but she ended up having a lot of fun with her dad.

Charming took care of building the fire and cooking the fish, while Emma sat near him with her head leaning on one of her hands. Charming looked over at Emma with concern and asked with a frown, "Is your head still hurting?"

"How did you know?" Emma asked, thinking she was hiding it better than that.

"Because I know you." Charming replied simply with a smile.

"Yes, it still hurts, but it's fine." Emma reluctantly admitted. She was taken back by how well he seemed to know her, not many people have ever really known her besides Neal, Henry, and Mary Margaret, which she came to know as her mom. It was a nice, but weird feeling for her father to know her like that.

"Plus where did you think you inherited your 'Superpower' from?" Charming smirked at Emma.

Emma looked dumbfounded as she processed that information. So her father could tell when she was lying earlier about if she was okay. That would explain his worried glances that he kept giving her all afternoon.

Charming just chuckled as he saw Emma's confused expression as she thought about what he said. Charming then went on to finish cooking the fish.

Emma was impressed at her father's resourcefulness once again when he used bark from the tree for plates. He handed her one of them with one of the cooked fish on it. It wasn't her favorite food, but it was better than Chimera. "Thanks." Emma said with a smile.

"Well, I am not the best cook, but it will fill you up." Charming replied.

"Well I'm pretty sure you are a better cook then I am." Emma replied with a grin. Her idea of cooking was a box of mac n' cheese or microwaved Ramon noodles.

"Oh I know I am." Charming said with a chuckle.

"Hey! You could be a little more nice about it!" Emma said in a mock-offended tone.

"I remember not long ago you tried to make dinner for all of us, but we ended up having to go out to eat instead." Charming replied, but then began to laugh at the memory.

"I followed the instructions, which were obviously wrong or else it would have turned out fine! And I can also remember a time recently that we made dinner together and that didn't turn out good either." Emma said with a smirk.

"It was your idea to make chicken enchiladas. I can only make simple meals. Plus I am pretty you ruined that meal, not me." Charming replied.

"What?! You were in charge of the chicken and YOU burnt it!" Emma almost yelled.

"Ok, ok. I'll admit I burnt it, but you weren't doing any better with the rest of the meal. Remember you enchilada sauce?" Charming said with a smirk.

"That recipe was wrong and it did not tell me to keep stirring the sauce. How was I suppose to know that it would burn?" Emma asked, but then started to laugh at the memory.

Charming just laughed. "Remember when your mother got home, she kicked us both out of the kitchen!" Charming said as he tried to control his laughter.

"We never did get our enchiladas! She just heated up soup." Emma said with a disappointed look. "Then she banned us from the kitchen!" Emma said with a chuckle, but then got a sad far-off look in her eyes as she thought about her mother, Henry and the new addition to their family, her brother.

Charming noticed the change in her expression and knew what she was thinking about, or whom she was thinking about. "We will get back to them, Emma. If there is one thing I know how to do, it's find my family. You just have to have faith." Charming said confidently as he looked over at Emma.

"I know, but I'm not like the rest of you. I'm not use to things turning out okay. It's hard to have faith." Emma said sadly as she looked into the fire.

"Emma. You had faith in Neverland that we would all go back together. If it wasn't for your faith, Snow and I would have probably still been in Neverland. We all have times when our faith is shaken, but that's when we need to remind each other to have faith in our family." Charming said softly and then turned Emma's face towards him. "And Emma you are apart of this family, a very important part and you are more like us then you think." Charming added softly with a smile.

Emma smiled, she didn't know what to say, but it meant a lot to her that her father had faith in her. It even seemed like he was proud of her for having faith when both of her parents seemed to have lost faith while they were in Neverland.

Charming could tell that she was starting to get uncomfortable, so he decided to change the topic. He had noticed that she really hadn't eaten much of the fish and seemed to just be picking at it. "Are you feeling okay?" Charming asked as he felt Emma's forehead.

Emma rolled her eyes, which actually ended up adding to her headache causing her to scrunch up her face in pain. "I'm fine."

Charming shook his head at his daughter's stubbornness. He could tell she was running a slight fever due to her headache and felt pretty terrible. He was sure that after a good night's sleep, she would be feeling a lot better. "Maybe you should turn in for the night." Charming said in a worried expression, as he took Emma's plate from her.

Emma nodded slowly. She really did just want to sleep off the headache, but knew it wasn't going to be a very comfortable night. She remembered sleeping in Neverland and when she was in the Enchanted Forest before with her mother. But unlike those times, this time they didn't have any blankets or anything really.

Charming took off his coat, it wasn't too cold, especially with the fire so he would be fine without it. "Here you can use this for a pillow." Charming said as he gave Emma his coat.

"Thanks, but won't you be cold?" Emma asked as she took the coat.

"No, I'll be fine." Charming replied.

Emma laid down on the ground using Charming's coat as a pillow. It felt good to close her eyes especially after feeling nauseous from the fish. "Goodnight." Emma said quietly as she started to drift off to sleep.

"Goodnight, Emma. Sleep well." Charming said with a smile. Charming watched over Emma while she slept and thought of how they were going to get home to their family. His wife, Snow, must be so worried about them. He wonders if she even knows what happened to them. Charming stroked the fire and added a few more pieces of wood to it before he too decided to turn in for the night.

He was surprised at how fast Emma fell asleep because normally she had a hard time falling asleep when she had to sleep on the ground. She must have been really tired and worn out to fall asleep so quickly. He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and lightly kissed her forehead. He then laid down as well a couple of feet from Emma to give her some space.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Emma woke up with a start. _What was that? _Emma heard a sound near by that sounded like rustling.. An animal? This is one reason she didn't like sleeping outside, you never knew what animals could be lurking around and she wasn't familiar with the animals in the enchanted forest. There it was again, it sounded closer to here. _Crap. _She quickly sees that her Dad is a foot away from her, she swore she laid down closer to the fire. She must have moved in her sleep closer to David, that would have been embarrassing if he had seen that. She hears the rustling again this time it seems even closer. She sat up fast and looked around for this animal, but saw nothing. "David….Dad." Emma whispered, not quite sure if she really wanted to wake him up over something like this, but she really wasn't sure what the noise was. He didn't wake up maybe that was a good thing.

Emma screamed as something white ran over her legs.

Charming woke up and grabbed for his sword out of habit, which he didn't have. "What's wrong?" David asked as he realized it had been Emma who had screamed and that she was sitting up not far from him.

"Sorry." Emma said sheepishly. "I think it was a bunny. It ran over my legs." Emma added.

Charming chuckled at his daughter's admission. He noticed that she must have moved closer to him in her sleep because she was only about a foot away from him now. "It probably was. Are you okay?" Charming asked in a concerned voice, his daughter seemed a little worked up over the "bunny."

"Yeah. I am fine." Emma said quickly.

"Ok, well we should try to get a couple more hours of sleep before dawn." Charming said with a soft smile.

Emma nodded and laid back down, but she didn't move back to where she was sleeping before. She liked knowing that he was close by, it made her feel safe and protected even if it was just from bunnies.

This didn't go unnoticed by Charming, but he didn't mind. "Goodnight, Em." Charming said softly.

Emma heard the little nickname he just gave her, but was too tired to comment on it.  
>"Night, Dad." Emma said in a whisper and then closed her eyes to sleep.<p>

Charming couldn't help, but smile at that word she said once again. _Dad. _She had just recently started to call them Mom and Dad, but would still call them Mary Margaret and David. But every time, she said "Dad" he could hardly hide his joy.

**Please Review!**


	3. Some Dreams Do Come True

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 3! I thought we needed to see what is going on in Storybrooke! Sorry if this chapter is a little rough, I reread it a couple of times, but I'm feeling a little sick so I may have missed a few things! Hope you guys like it anyway! Thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy! :) **

**Some Dreams Do Come True**

**Back in Storybrooke – About 8 hours earlier **

Grumpy had called Snow early in the day when he noticed a big hole in the alley with the police cruiser with its lights on, blocking the alley, but no sign of Emma or David. He knew that something must have happen to them and from the looks of the hole it seemed that Emma and David might have gone through a portal.

Snow was beside herself in worry for both her husband and daughter, but she had Henry, her grandson, and her son, Leo, to consider as well. Her son was about 6 and half months old and was quite a handful. She often wondered if Emma was the same way when she was a baby. She needed to stay strong for both her grandson and her son. They would be reunited with their family once again. Their family always found each other and Snow was confident that this time would be no different. They would find each other again.

Now, she just had to figure out how to find her husband and daughter while taking care of her grandson and son. Neal would help out with Henry and so would Regina. Oddly enough, Regina and Snow had bonded a little during the whole Wicked Witch of the West crisis. Also after Neverland, no one could doubt her love and loyalty to Henry.

"Grams, what's going on? Where is Gramps and mom?" Henry asked as he came into the apartment with Neal trailing behind him, it was 6 o'clock and normally his grandpa and mom were already back. Plus his grandma looked worried and hardly noticed them coming into the apartment.

"Oh. Hi, Henry, Neal." Snow greeted the two. "Grumpy just called and said that it looks like David and Emma might have fallen through a portal. We don't know how or where they went, but we will get them back. We always find our family." Snow said more confidently than she felt.

"Oh my goodness." Neal said. He still had feelings for Emma, but Emma wasn't ready for a relationship with anybody right now. It was totally understandable, with everything that had been going on. He wanted to give her space and as much time as she needed. He hated to think that after everything that had happened that she was once again separated from her family. He would do all he could to help find her and her father. Ultimately, he wanted her to be happy and her family was part of her happiness. "Do you have any idea of how it might have happened?"

"They would have needed a portal and neither of them had anything so someone else must have been involved. They had blocked off the alley with the cruiser so they must have chased someone. Who would want to send them through a portal?" Snow asked.

"Could it have been King George?" Henry asked in a worried voice.

"Actually, that would make sense. He is always after taking Charming's happiness away. Is there anyone else that would want to harm them or us?" Snow asked.

"Unless, you and your husband had any more enemies, I can't think of anyone else." Neal answered.

"So it probably was King George." Henry stated. "What are we going to do?"

"We will get them back, Henry." Neal said reassuringly.

"First of all, we need to be safe. If it is King George, he probably will come after us. Second, we have to see if there is anyway to help them get back. I assume they are in the Enchanted Forest. Also we need to find King George and question him." Snow decided.

"I can get my father to help me find King George and then we can question him." Neal offered, he was willing to do anything to help reunite Emma with her family.

"Ok, thanks. Just be careful, Neal." Snow said in a worried voice. She really cared for Neal and she knew that Emma cared for him. She wasn't sure if Emma wanted to get back together with him, but she knew her daughter loved Neal.

"I will be safe with father. Make sure you guys stay safe until we get King George under custody. I don't trust him." Neal said.

"We will. Thanks again, Neal." Snow said.

"Bye, Dad." Henry said as he hugged Neal.

"Bye, Kid. Listen to your grandma. I'll see you sometime tomorrow." Neal replied as he returned the hug.

After Neal left, Henry turned to his Grandma. "What do we do now?"

"I am going to make a few phone calls to see if Grumpy and the other dwarfs can keep a look out for King George or anything else going on in town. Then try to get a hold of the Blue Fairy to see if she can help us." Snow replied. She really wanted to just go and find the Blue Fairy, but she had Henry and Leo to consider. It was just too risky to bring both them out when King George could be looking for them. Plus it would be better to go out when it was daytime.

"My mom might be able to help." Henry suggested. "Or even Rumplestiltskin…I mean Grandpa. That's still weird."

"That's true, if the Blue Fairy can't help us then we will try to see if Regina or Rumple can help us." Snow decided. "Now can you go check on Leo, he probably will be waking up soon and will want to see his nephew." Snow said with a smile.

"Okay!" Henry replied. He wanted to help in any way he could and he loved being around his little 'uncle.'

Snow started calling Grumpy who said that the dwarfs would keep a look out for the scumbag, as Grumpy called King George, and watch out for anything odd. Also they decided that Grumpy and Red would be the stand in sheriff and deputy while Charming and Emma were away. The Blue Fairy didn't have anything to get her family back. Now, she was left with Regina and Rumple, it always seem to come down to them. Hopefully, they could help.

**Enchanted Forest – Next Morning**

Charming didn't want to wake up yet, he was dreaming about being with his family back in Storybrooke. They were having a family night with just Snow, Emma, Henry, Leo and himself. He loved being able to spend time with his family even though those times had been a bit rare considering the craziness that had been the last couple of months. Charming finally opened his eyes and realized that Emma was right next to him, dangerously close to having her head on his shoulder. He didn't mind it, but he knew that she would be embarrassed if she woke up being so close to him. It is funny that she started off sleeping like 3 feet away from him and now was literally right next to him. He knew from Snow that Emma was a bed hog and a really bad one at that. Snow told him in the Enchanted Forest, Emma would always end up sleeping almost on top of Snow. Snow knowing how Emma felt about that sort of thing would move over a little before waking Emma up.

She looked so peaceful and beautiful as she slept. He didn't want to wake her just yet; he knew it took her awhile to fall asleep after her bunny issue. She doesn't like to sleep outside. Although, he figured she would have gotten use to it after Neverland, but then again that was over a year ago now.

He decided to let her sleep for a little while longer while he got ready to go. Before he got up, he very carefully tucked a golden strand of hair behind Emma's ear before kissing her lightly on the forehead.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It didn't take long at all for Charming to get ready. He wasn't looking forward to waking up Emma especially because the sun wasn't even up yet. She would not want to get up. Charming sighed as he looked over to Emma who was sound asleep on the ground, still using his coat for a pillow.

Charming smiled as he knelt beside Emma. He gently stroked her hair and he moved a piece of hair from her face. "Emma, sweetie. It's time to wake up." Charming said softly as he continued to gently stroke Emma's hair.

Emma groaned and slowly opened her eyes only to shut them quickly. "Ugh, the sun isn't even up."

"I know, but we have to start walking now if we want to make it to the castle before dark." Charming said with a chuckle.

"Ugh." Emma groaned, but didn't make a move to get up or open her eyes.

"Emma." Charming said slightly exasperated. "You have to get up. If we make it to the castle, you can sleep in a real bed tonight."

"Are you trying to bribe me to get up?" Emma asked, slowly opening her eyes.

"Whatever will work." Charming said with a chuckle.

"What if the bed wasn't enough?" Emma said with her own chuckle.

"Then I would have to resort to tickle consequences. So what will it be?" Charming asked with a mischievous grin.

"The bed is enough." Emma said quickly, but still didn't move and her eyes closed once again.

"Emma." Charming sighed and then grinned before he started to tickle her.

"Hey, hey! Stop, I am getting up!" Emma said through her laughing. "Please, stop!"

"Are you going to get up?" Charming asked.

"Yes!" Emma laughed. "That's not fair."

"You gave me no choice." Charming said with a grin as he helped his daughter up.

"No one should have to get up before the sun is even up." Emma complained.

"It will be up soon. I am going to go pick some berries for our breakfast. I suggest you get ready to get going. How is your head?" Charming said as ran his hand over the back of Emma's head.

"It feels a lot better." Emma replied. It really did feel a lot better than the night before, it hardly hurt at all.

"Good, now get ready to go, sleepyhead." Charming said as he gently tugged on one of her curls.

Emma rolled her eyes as her father left to go pick some berries.

It didn't take long for father and daughter to be on their way once again. Charming wasn't sure who was still in the Enchanted Forest, but he knew that when they were there that the Wicked Witch's men were all over the Enchanted Forest and as far as he knew her men didn't come over with them. Also some of the Merrymen didn't come over with them. So he knows that there had to be some people left in the Enchanted Forest, he just hoped that they didn't run into any of the Wicked Witch's men. He really wished he had his sword, their guns wouldn't do them much good in the Enchanted Forest.

"So which way is home?" Emma asked with a smirk.

"This way. Now, Emma, I want you to be careful. The Wicked Witch had men roaming around the Enchanted Forest last time we were here and they didn't come over with us when we were cursed again." Charming said as he led the way out of the forest down the hill.

"I'll be fine. You don't have to worry about me, I can take care of myself." Emma said as she rolled her eyes.

"I know you can, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about you, kid." Charming said with a soft smile.

Emma smiled, she doesn't know what to say because she likes that he cares so much about her that he can't help, but to worry about her. It is sweet, but he is being a little overprotective.

"So are we seriously going to have to walk all day?" Emma asked in a whiny voice. She really wasn't looking forward to the long trek they had ahead of them.

"Unless we can find horses." Charming said seriously.

"What? Horses?" Emma said a bit stunned.

"Yes. Horses." Charming said with a chuckle at Emma's surprise and because her voice went up an octave or two.

"But I have never rode a horse before." Emma said quietly. She always wanted to ride a horse, but it wasn't like she ever had the chance to. It was weird to think that if she had grown up here in the Enchanted Forest with her parents she would have ridden horses for most of her life.

"I would help you and I bet you are a natural. Both your mother and I are naturals at riding, it's in your genes." Charming grinned.

Emma smiled, but still was a little unsure about riding horses.

Charming and Emma walked for another 3 hours. Emma was really wanted to stumble upon a couple of horses so that she wouldn't have to walk anymore, but that wasn't there luck. She was keeping up with her father better than she had the other night, but he was still a head of her by quite a few feet. She didn't understand how he just kept going at a fast pace without getting tired. Technically, they were the same age, but he is supposed to be older than her so no matter what, you would think that she could keep up with him.

Emma was lost in her thoughts of the craziness of her family when suddenly a man on a horse that had come to stop in front of her blocked her from following her father. She was shocked at first, but then pulled out her gun, but before she was able to react, the man jumped off the horse and kicked the gun out of her hand. The next she knew, the man had a sword to her throat. She tried to call out to David, but she couldn't seem to find her voice. "Well aren't you a beauty?! Who are you?" the man asked in a dangerous tone.

"Emma Swan. Why do you want to know?" Emma asked rudely, yet confidently.

"No need to be rude, missy. I think I'll just take you with me, you are something to look at!" The man said with a lustful look in his eyes that made a chill go down Emma's spine. She had seen that look before on men and she knew it was dangerous.

"I am not going anywhere with you." Emma stated before kneeing him and pushing him down to the ground. She tried to run, but the man grabbed her leg, which brought her down to the ground.

"You really thought you could get away? You are feisty. I like feisty." The man told Emma with wild look in his eyes.

Emma had to dodge the sword a couple of times as the man swung it at her. Emma ran at full speed towards him and knocked him down to the ground causing his sword to fly into the air. The two tumbled around on the ground for a couple of seconds before the man ended up pinning Emma to the ground. That's when he realized that he had lost his sword during the struggle with the girl. "You are going to wish that you didn't try to run by the time I am done with you." The man said in a creepy voice that sent another chill down Emma's back. The man went to reach for his sword while still holding Emma down, but before he got it he was being pulled off the ground roughly by a set of strong arms.

Once Charming had realized Emma wasn't behind him and he had run as fast as he could back to where he thought she was. When he saw the man pinning his daughter down, he reacted without thinking and yanked the man off his daughter, but not before hearing what the man had said to her. "Don't you ever touch my daughter ever again!" Charming practically growled at the man who he recognized as part of the Wicked Witch's men.

"Your daughter?" The man scoffed as he got loose from Charming's grip and made a dive for his sword. "That's not possible."

"Do I look like I am kidding?" Charming glared at the man before dodging the man's sword.

Emma was stunned for second, not realizing what had just happen then she saw her father fighting with the man. There was something about her father fighting for her that she liked. Especially because there were many times that men like that tried to take advantage of her and she had to fend for herself. Emma watched as her father fought with the man. The man had gotten his sword, but Charming pulled out his gun.

Charming dodged the sword a couple of times before pulling the trigger of his gun, effectively killing the man. He really wished he hadn't had to pull the trigger because the ogres would be able to hear the shot of the gun. Charming ran over to Emma and helped her off the ground. "Are you okay, Emma?" Charming asked, as he quickly looked Emma over, clearly concerned, yet in a hurry.

"Yeah, yeah. I am fine." Emma said quickly. She wasn't actually sure if she was okay because she felt a little numb.

"Okay, we have to go. The ogres would have heard the gun shot, we have to move fast." Charming said as he grabbed the man's sword and then led Emma in the direction they had been going in.

While they ran through the forest, Emma realized that her arm was burning and bleeding. She must have got hurt during the scuffle she had with the man. Suddenly her father stopped causing Emma to almost run in to him.

"Hey, we're lucky, we don't have to walk anymore. Are you ready to ride a horse?" Charming said with a smile. The horse had been spooked by the gun and had wandered away, but now it was settled down enough to ride.

"Ah, I guess." Emma said hesitantly. Her arm was really burning at this point, but she put it aside.

"It will be fine and we will be able to get further away from the ogres." Charming said seeing her hesitation. Charming got on the horse and then reached his hand out to Emma to help her up.

Emma hesitated, but then took her father's hand.

"Ok, put your foot in the stirrup to help yourself get up." Charming instructed.

Emma managed to get up on the horse behind her father and she wrapped her arms around him.

"Are you okay?" Charming asked.

"Yeah, I am fine." Emma said.

Charming and Emma rode the horse for over an hour and they saw no sign of ogres. Charming was pretty sure they had outrun them and should be safe for the time being.

Emma's upper arm was burning from the cut that she had gotten from the man's sword and she wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to hold on to her father with her hurt arm.

"Emma, let's stop for a little while to let the horse rest." Charming said as he slowed the horse to a stop.

Emma got down as best she could and then Charming got down from the horse. He led the horse to the creek that was near by and Emma followed along.

Charming left the horse to drink from the water and then turned back to Emma, who had been really quiet on the ride.

"Emma! You are hurt!" Charming said after he saw her arm was bleeding or at least had been bleeding. He couldn't tell if it was still bleeding. He walked over to her and looked at her arm. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't realize it happen until later." Emma said honestly.

"Well, we need to clean it out, hopefully it isn't infected." Charming said in a worried voice before leading her to sit on a near by rock.

"It's really fine, it hardly hurts." Emma said trying to calm her father down who was freaking out over a little cut.

"No, it's not fine, but it will be. Though, it does look pretty deep, Emma." Charming commented. "We need to take your coat off so I can bandage it up."

"It's really fine. It can wait." Emma said making no move to take her coat off.

"No, it can't wait. It could be infected and we need to do our best to clean out." Charming replied firmly, which left no room for argument.

"Okay, but it really is fine." Emma reluctantly agreed before she tried to take off her coat, which ended up being harder than she expected. "I may need some help…" Emma trailed off; she didn't like asking for help even though she knew her father would help in a heartbeat.

Charming helped her take her coat off and then he found a rag in the saddlebag that were on the horse. He soaked the rag in the creek and then began to gently clean the wound. He knew that it must hurt more than she was letting on to because she kept wincing as he was cleaning the cut. Luckily, in the saddlebag was a clean shirt that Charming was able to tear up and wrap Emma's arm in. "There that should be good for now." Charming said, but he looked worried. He would have to watch her carefully to see if she developed a fever. He really hopes it isn't infected, but if it was he knew some plants that would help get rid of the infection. Charming picked up her coat. "I am going to try to get some of blood off your coat." Charming said as he walked over to the creek to wash off the blood.

Emma nodded and smiled a little at her father's overprotectiveness. It actually felt nice to have him take care of her. She was impressed at how well he adapted to living off the land and she was impressed by his medical skills. It didn't take long for her father to come back with her coat; he looked so worried over a little cut. It was sweet that he was so worried over her.

"Here, Em." Charming said as he helped her put her coat back on. "Didn't I tell you to be carefully?" Charming teased to lighten the mood.

"I was being careful. How was I suppose to know he would appear out of nowhere?" Emma asked as she rolled her eyes.

Charming shook his head. "You didn't see him coming? Or even hear him? What were you thinking about it?" Charming said with a chuckle, normally she was a little more aware of her surroundings.

"I don't remember. I wasn't really expecting anybody to be around." Emma replied. "So how long until we get there?"

"It is going to be at least another 6 hours, but we will have to stop every once and awhile to let the horse rest. But don't worry will get there." Charming said with a smile. "So how did you like riding on a horse?" Charming said with a grin.

Emma couldn't help, but smile, her father's enthusiasm was catching. "I liked it!" Emma said with a grin of her own. She actually was pretty thrilled about riding the horse. She had waited most of her life for that dream to come true. Too bad she hadn't been feeling the greatest on the ride, but it still was pretty exciting.

"Good! I am glad. Well we probably should get going again. Are you feeling okay?" Charming asked looking at Emma with concerned eyes He refrained from feeling her forehead, but he really wanted to make sure she didn't have a fever.

"Yes." Emma said with a sigh. "Seriously, you worry too much." Emma said as she gave her father a look.

"You're my daughter, it is kind of hard not to worry about you. Especially, when you are hurt. You are just going to have to deal with it, princess." Charming said with a smirk.

"Ah, not princess again. You and your nicknames." Emma said with a fake groan.

"You know you like them." Charming replied with a grin.

Emma just smiled because she couldn't deny that she liked them. She just didn't like it when he called her those names in public. Otherwise, she secretly loved that he gave her nicknames. It made her feel special and that she belonged.

"Okay, _princess. _We need to get you back on the horse." Charming gave Emma a hand up from the rock. He then let her get on the horse first and then he got on behind her. He wanted to keep an eye on her in case she developed a fever.

"So are you ready to learn how to ride a horse?" Charming asked with a smile.

"Sure." Emma said nonchalantly, but there was trace of excitement in her voice that she couldn't really contain.

"Okay, first you hold the reins like this." Charming said as he showed Emma how to hold them. "Here you try it."

"Ok." Emma said trying to hold them like her father did. Her dad adjusted her grip on the reins.

"Okay, good. When you hold the reins you want to keep them as steady as possible so that you aren't jabbing the horse in the mouth with the bit." Charming continued to instruct Emma.

Charming continued to teach Emma everything he could about riding a horse and horses in general. Emma realized that riding a horse was more complicated than she had originally thought and keeping your hands steady was not very easy. Your arms get tired from holding the same position and the cut on Emma's left arm was not helping very much.

Charming realized that Emma was getting tired from holding the reins after about an hour of holding them. "I'll take over for a little bit, Em."

"Ok." Emma was relieved that he decided to take over because she wasn't going to admit that she was tired, but she was sore from holding them steady for so long.

Charming smiled because he could tell she was tired by the way her body relaxed after he took the reins.

They rode for about another hour and Emma was starting to feel worse. She didn't even realize it when she leaned back against her father because she was feeling poorly.

Charming was surprised when Emma leaned back, but also worried about her. After about a half an hour of riding, he was pretty sure she had fallen asleep because she was breathing deep, even breaths. He took that as an opportunity to feel her forehead. "Oh, Emma."

**Please Review!**


	4. Patience Needed

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 4! Sorry, it's been a long time! I got stuck reading a once fanfiction story that was 42 chapters and I couldn't put it down! But I am back! I hope you like this chapter! Thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy! :) **

**Patience Needed**

"Oh, Emma."

Charming really wished that they were back home with the convenience of medicine, but lucky for them Snow had taught him a thing or two about natural remedies that could be found in the Enchanted Forest. Charming was slightly relieved that she didn't feel to warm, probably a low-grade fever, but he would have preferred it if she didn't have a fever at all.

Charming kept going for another hour, still supporting a sleeping Emma, before stopping by a creek. The horse was tired and he wanted to check Emma's cut.

As they came to a stop, Emma woke up feeling a little groggy and sore from riding on the horse. She wasn't feeling the greatest. She wasn't sure when she fell asleep or how long she had been asleep, but she was hoping that they were already to the castle. "Are we there yet?" Emma said before she opened her eyes. She was pretty sure they weren't there, but a girl could hope.

"No, we are still a ways a way, but we need to stop to let the horse rest." Charming answered with a smile.

Emma groaned softly.

Charming chuckled and got off the horse, making sure to keep Emma steady as he did. "Come on. I think you need to rest too." Charming said softly with a hint of worry in his voice and then he reached up to help her down.

"I don't need to rest!" Emma said as she let her father help her down from the horse.

"You have a fever, Emma, which means that your cut is infected. So you are going to rest while I check your arm again." Charming replied as he led Emma to a nearby tree where he had her sit down.

"I am sure it's fine. And I don't have a fever." Emma said in a whiny, annoyed voice.

"Just because we don't have a thermometer doesn't mean you don't have a fever. And you, my dear, have a fever." Charming said as he felt her forehead once he had her sitting down and leaning against the tree.

"You don't know that for sure. Like you said we don't have a thermometer." Emma said with a cheeky grin.

"I'm not as good as your mother at detecting a fever, but I can normally tell you have a fever without a thermometer." Charming replied.

"You're wrong. I don't have a fever." Emma replied stubbornly.

Charming just gave her look that clearly stated that she did have a fever and that he was done trying to convince her. "I am going to go get some water from the creek. You stay put while I'm gone." Charming said firmly, getting a little fed up with her stubbornness.

"I'm..." Emma started, but stopped when her father turned back and gave her look that shut her up effectively. She gulped because that look was scary coming from her father. She felt a little ridiculous feeling this way when her father gave her that kind of look, especially being as old as she was, but it wasn't something she could control. She just happened to feel rather chastised by that look on her father's face. "I'll stay here."

Charming just gave her a look that said she better stay put and then he left to go to the creek.

Yep, she would have given him gray hair if she had grown up with her parents. No doubt about that. She may just yet give them gray hair. There is a part of her that wants to get up and not 'stay put' because there is a rebel inside of her, but she really doesn't have that kind of energy and from the looks of her father, he doesn't have the energy either or the patience.

Charming had to chuckle at the way Emma had backed down after that look he gave her. He is always impressed that he has a power over her even when she is 30 years old. It must just go with being her father no matter what age she is. The look on her face was priceless when he gave her that look; it made him smile from his victory.

He quickly got the canteen from the horse and filled it with water. He then took the saddle off the horse and brought the horse to the water. Every once in a while, he would glance back at his daughter who looked like she wasn't feeling very well. She was just so stubborn especially when she was sick. It is totally obvious that she is sick, yet she would deny it until she was blue in the face. He was debating if they should just make camp here and continue in the morning. Since her arm was obviously infected, she really shouldn't be moving around too much. He also needed to find some healing herbs to counteract the infection and bring down the fever. The only problem was that they didn't have any cooking utensils to boil water for the herbs. Maybe they needed to go a little ways to a little village that he knew about. He doubted that anyone would be there, but there should be some cooking utensils they could use and some shelter. He walked back to Emma who was trying her best to stay awake. Yeah, they weren't going to make it to the castle tonight, but maybe they could make it to the village.

He poured a little of the water over the cloth he found in the saddlebag. "Here drink some of this." Charming said as he handed her the canteen.

Emma took it and drank from it, but stopped when her dad started to wipe her forehead with the wet rag, which felt good, but if she let it go she would be admitting to being sick. She wasn't about to do that, no matter how she was feeling. "Seriously?" Emma said as she pulled his arm down, effectively getting him to stop with the cold compress.

"Emma, I'm not going to argue with you. You are obviously sick." Charming said as he put the cloth back on her head, but then grabbed her hand and put it on the rag to hold it in place. "I need to check your cut. Let's get your jacket off." Charming said with a soft smile and then started to help her take her jacket off.

"Do you have to look at it? It is probably fine. It was only a few hours ago that you looked at it, it couldn't have changed much since then." Emma said as she rolled her eyes.

"If it is infected, which I'm pretty sure it is, then it would have changed. So yes, I do have to look at it." Charming said firmly as he once again tried to help Emma get her jacket off.

Emma sighed, but took her jacket off with the help of her father. In the process, she took the cloth off her head. David carefully unwrapped the makeshift bandage on her arm. He did it so gentle she could hardly tell he was doing anything. It was sweet that he was taking care of her.

Charming was hoping that it really wasn't infected, but when he uncovered the cut he sighed. There was red around the cut, not too much, but it was infected. He needed to get those herbs on it soon.

"So what's the verdict?" Emma asked sarcastically, yet knew from his face it was infected plus it had got more painful as the time went by.

"It's infected, but lucky for you, your mother taught me some herbs that will get rid of the infection and help bring down your fever. And don't tell me you don't have a fever." Charming said as he did what he could for the cut before wrapping it up again. "So this is what we are going to do. There is a village not far from here that should have some of the herbs I need to treat your cut. Then we can just camp there."

"What? I thought we were going to make it to your old place by tonight." Emma said. For some reason, she couldn't admit that it was her old place or even admit that it was a castle. It was still a little weird for her.

"Well, it was our old place. But, we aren't going to make it there tonight. You need to rest so that we can get this infection under control and get your fever down. It's better if you aren't moving around anyway." Charming replied.

"Oh come on, we can't be that far away, we could still make it." Emma pleaded.

"We are about three hours away, but I don't think it is wise to continue today." Charming said knowing that Emma wasn't going to be happy about it, but he wasn't changing his mind.

"But we could totally make it!" Emma replied, not knowing what time it was, but that it was early enough that they could definitely make it before it got dark.

"It is not about if we could make it or not. It is about you being sick and you shouldn't be traveling with an infection like that. It makes it spread more quickly if you are moving around and you will recover faster if you are resting."

"But..." Emma started.

"No buts. We aren't going there today. End of discussion. Now, I want you to rest until we leave. Why don't you lay down?" Charming said sternly, but softly.

Emma knew that wasn't a question and she was about to argue that she didn't need to rest, but she had a feeling that whether she liked it or not she was going to rest. Her father had that look on his face that meant he wasn't backing down. "Ok." Emma said with a sigh.

Charming sat down by Emma and she laid down putting her head on his leg. Charming took the cloth that Emma had put down and put it on her forehead once again which got him an eye roll before she closed her eyes. She shivered and he realized they never put her jacket back on her so he reached over and got it. He covered her lightly with it. He then lightly stroked her head while keeping the wet cloth on her head. Her fever had gotten higher since he first checked it. The sooner he got her cut treated the better. He was really hoping that he could find the herbs he needed to treat it. He just didn't like it when she was sick especially without the convenience of antibiotics and fever relievers.

After about an hour of letting Emma sleep, Charming decided to get the horse ready while she slept for a couple more minutes. After the horse was ready to go, Charming walked back over to Emma. He was really worried about her and wished that Snow was with him to help take care of her. He really missed her. They worked as a team and he felt like a part of him was missing without his wife with him.

Charming knelt beside her and shook her shoulder to wake her up. "Emma, we have to get going."

"Can we just go all the way to your old place?" Emma asked after she sat up against the tree.

"Emma." Charming admonished.

"Ok, ok." Emma relented.

"Come on, Em." Charming said as he gave Emma a hand up.

Emma felt a little dizzy as she stood up, but her dad was there to steady her. If he hadn't she might have been on the ground again. Maybe she was a little sicker than she thought she was.

Charming helped her to the horse and then helped her get on the horse. He then got on behind her. "Ok, sweetie. Let's go." Charming said as he put his arms around Emma to grab the reins.

It was only a few minutes into the ride when Emma leaned back against her dad. She couldn't help it. She felt so poorly she just couldn't keep herself sitting up by herself. "I'm sorry." Emma said quietly.

"Hey, it's okay, Emma. That's what I'm here for. You don't need to be sorry." Charming said as he held her a little tighter and kissed the top of her head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Who are you?"

"My name is David and this is my daughter, Emma. You may know of me as Prince James."

Emma could hear her father talking to somebody and it didn't sound like they were being friendly. She gasped as she saw that they were surrounded by men on horses and half of them had arrows pointed at them.

"Your daughter?"

"Yes. I am sure you have heard of the curse the Evil Queen made and the same curse that the Wicked Witch cast again not long ago. My daughter escaped the curse both times." Charming replied calmly. He could tell that Emma was awake because she tensed up against him.

"We know about them. Our leader, Robin Hood was taken during the second curse."

"Yes, I know Robin Hood. He is a very good man." Charming replied, hoping that they would trust them.

"So how did you get back here?" The man asked as he put down his arrow, but the other men kept their arrows pointed at them.

"One of our enemies, King George, tried to send my daughter through a portal. When I went to help her, he pushed us both through." Charming said with a tinge of anger in his voice at King George. "Anyway, we ran into one of the Wicked Witch's men and my daughter has an infected cut. I was hoping to find some healing herbs to treat it." Charming added.

"Lower your weapons." The man said to his men before turning back to Charming. "My name is Adam and we are known as the Merry Men. If you would like to stay in the village, we have extra space. I also know where some of the plants are that you will need for your daughter. I can get one of my men to get some for you."

"We would appreciate that. Thank you, Adam." Charming replied.

It didn't take long for them to reach the little cabin that the Merry Men said they could stay in until they were ready to continue on their journey. Charming climbed down from horse and then helped Emma down from the horse.

"You should find everything you need in there. Marcus will bring you the plants you need as well. If you need anything else just let us know." Adam said.

"Thank you. I am sure we will be fine." Charming replied kindly.

Adam nodded his head and walked away.

"Let's get you inside, Emma. How are you feeling?" Charming asked quietly with a hint of worry in his voice.

"A little weak and tired." Emma admitted.

Charming was surprised he got a truthful answer. He was all prepared for an "I'm fine" response. "Well hopefully you will be feeling better soon." Charming said as he walked her up to the cabin and opened the door.

It was a small cabin with two beds, a fireplace, and a table, but it had all the necessary supplies. Charming got Emma settled down in the bed and found a pot to boil water in along with some clean pieces of cloth to rewrap her arm in once he treated it.

"Emma, I'm going to go get some water. I'll be right back." Charming said as he felt her forehead.

"So are these people good?" Emma asked a little weary of these men who had them surrounded just a few minutes ago.

"Yes, they are. If they weren't I wouldn't have stopped here." Charming said sensing her worry.

""Do you still have your gun?" Emma asked.

"Yes, but I won't need it. Anyway, guns don't work here as well as swords and bows do." Charming said with a chuckle, realizing that she was worried about him, not necessarily herself.

"A gun is a gun. It works rather effectively no matter what world you are in. Also your gun did take care of the man earlier." Emma started to ramble.

Charming just shook his head. "I'll be back in a minute." Charming said as he bent down and kissed Emma's forehead before leaving the cabin in search for water.

Emma was worried about her father. She didn't quite trust these men even though her father seemed to trust them. She had no good reason not to trust them besides that they held them up and that they were strangers. She didn't exactly trust people very easily anyway. She wasn't about to go to sleep until her father was back in the cabin.

It was about ten minutes later and he still wasn't back yet. Emma was starting to get worried about him. If he didn't come soon she was going out there to find him, if only she had her gun. "He is going to kill me." Emma murmured as she got out of the bed a few minutes later.

Emma walked slowly over to the door using the table to support her weight. She was weaker than she thought she was without the support of her father. She finally got to the door and opened it up. She leaned against the door frame feeling her energy spent, but she was worried about her father.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Charming had found some water and Marcus had given him the plants that he needed to treat Emma's cut. He talked for a little bit with Adam and Marcus about what had gone on in the Enchanted Forest since Charming had been there last. The Merry Men had been busy fighting off the Wicked Witch's men and the ogres when they came across them.

"Well I need to get back to my daughter, Emma. Thank you for all your help. We appreciate it." Charming said as he picked up the bucket of water.

"No problem. We are glad to be able to help." Adam replied while Marcus nodded.

Charming walked back to the cabin to see his daughter leaning against the door frame looking rather pale from the fever. "Emma!" Charming yelled as he ran up the stairs of porch and sat the bucket of water down before catching Emma before she fell to the floor. "What are you doing out of bed?" Charming said in an exasperated voice as he brought her back inside.

"I was worried about you, you were gone for a long time. We have to stick together. I am not sure if I trust these people." Emma said as she let her father her led her back to bed.

"Emma, these Robin Hood's men. We can trust them, but of course we will stick together. Right now though, you need to stay in bed so that you can get better. You don't need to worry about me, I'll be right here with you. Okay?" Charming said with a smile.

"Okay. I guess I trust you." Emma teased with a cheeky grin.

"You guess? Oh Emma. What am I going to do with you?" Charming teased as he shook his head.

Emma rolled her eyes and then gave her father a 'charming' grin that she inherited from him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Charming had got everything ready that he needed to treat the cut. Emma had fell asleep while he got everything ready and it probably would be a good thing for her to be asleep when he treated her cut. The only problem was that she still had her jacket on.

He started to carefully take her jacket off without waking her up, but she started stir after her started to take it off.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked in a groggy voice.

"We have to take your jacket off, Em. Can you sit up for me?" Charming said with an apologetic smile for waking her up.

Emma sat up with the help of her dad and then he helped her slip the rest of her jacket off. After he got her jacket off, he had her lie back down and he unwrapped the bandage from her cut.

"How does it look?" Emma asked in a quiet voice, not sure if she wanted to know or not.

"It looks…okay." Charming lied, he didn't want to worry her, but it had gotten worse.

Emma nodded, even though she wasn't sure, but it seemed like he was lying about it. She wasn't going to call him on it, though because she didn't really want to know the truth.

"Don't worry it will be okay." Charming said and then did a couple of things before coming back over to Emma. "Okay, Emma. This is probably going to hurt, but if you listen to my voice it may keep your mind off of it."

"That doesn't sound good." Emma replied. "Are you going to tell me story?" Emma added with a smile. She loved hearing stories from her parents especially about their past.

"Yes. I thought you would like to hear about the time your mother taught me about healing herbs when we were trying to take back the kingdom. We were in a fight with some of King George's men that had come after me. We were able to defeat them pretty easily, but your mother managed to get a cut like yours but on her leg." Charming said as he put the hot rag on her cut, which caused her to jump at little. "So she taught me all about the different herbs. The good ones, the bad ones, and everything there was to learn about herbs. She described the healing herb that we needed to find to get rid of the infection. We found one of her old hiding places that she used when she was running away from the Regina. I had to practically carry her most of the way because we didn't have horses and she couldn't walk. She is stubborn like you though and she never admitted to how much her leg hurt, but I could tell that she was hurting. You two are so much alike." Charming finished as he wrapped up her arm in a clean strip of cloth.

"Stubborn? I am not stubborn." Emma teased as she rolled her eyes.

"Mmm hmm. Right. Okay, that should be good until later. Now, you just need to drink this tea. It will help bring down your fever and help with the pain." Charming said as he helped her sit up and gave her the cup. "Drink it all, it will help."

Emma took a sip of it and grimaced. "That tastes weird." Emma complained. "It doesn't hurt that bad." Emma added as she tried to hand the cup back to her father.

"Oh no. It's not an option, you have to drink it." Charming said as he pushed the cup back towards her.

"Mom wouldn't make me drink this stuff." Emma complained.

"Seriously? You think she wouldn't make you drink it? Are we talking about the same woman? Because your mom would definitely make you drink it especially if there wasn't anything else to use to bring down your fever." Charming said with a grin.

"Did she complain about it when she had to drink it?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, she did, but she drank it anyway and it helped. Now drink it and stop trying to distract me." Charming said with a smirk.

Emma grimaced before taking another sip of it, then she made a disgusted look after she managed to swallow it. "Ugh. So gross! Do I have to…" Emma started to complain.

"Emma, drink it." Charming said sternly, but really trying to keep back a chuckle at Emma's face after swallowing the tea. It was so much like Snow's face when she had to drink it. It was really funny, but it also made him miss Snow.

"You miss her, don't you?" Emma asked seeing the sad expression that crossed her dad's face.

"Yeah, I do, but we will back in no time. Our family will be back together again." Charming said with a sad smile.

Emma nodded, she missed them too. She took another sip and made another disgusted look at the taste. "Did you ever have to drink this stuff?" Emma asked with a grimace on her face.

"Of course I did, but it wasn't the only remedy for a fever so there was a couple more pleasant options available normally." Charming said, hoping she wouldn't catch the lie in his answer.

"You haven't ever had to take this stuff, have you?!" Emma asked in a high-pitched voice.

"Well, actually no, I haven't." Charming admitted.

"If you have never taken it, then I am not!" Emma blurted out.

"Emma, it's the only thing we have to bring down your fever. I would take it if I needed to." Charming argued.

"This isn't fair!" Emma complained.

"What are you two? Drink the tea, Emma Ruth!" Charming said sternly.

"Emma Ruth? You are serious, aren't you?" Emma teased.

"Yeah, don't make me break out your whole name. Drink your tea, it's getting cold and from what your mother told me it is worse when it's cold." Charming said with a smirk.

Emma groaned, but drank more of the disgusting tea.

It seemed like it took Emma forever to drink the tea, but she finally finished it. Charming was trying really hard not to laugh every time she took a sip of the tea and made that face. It was so cute the way she looked exactly like Snow. He wished that she could see their daughter making these faces.

"Ugh. I am done. I can't believe you made me drink that stuff." Emma said as she gave Charming the cup back.

Charming smiled as he took the cup back and put it on the table. "Now, Emma Ruth Swan, it's time for you to get some sleep." Charming said in a kind, gentle voice as he helped her lay down on the bed.

"Oh, crap. My whole name, you really are serious this time." Emma teased with a smile on her face, but her eyes were starting to close.

"Yeah and you better listen." Charming said with a chuckle, before kissing her forehead. "Sleep well, princess."

"Ok, dad." Emma mumbled as she fell asleep.

**Please Review! **


	5. Connected

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 5! This is a pretty long chapter, but I didn't think you guys would mind! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :) Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and followers! They make me smile! :) Enjoy! **

**Connected**

"How many times do I have to tell your_ charming_ family? Without a portal, you can't get to another world, dearie." Rumplestiltskin replied with an annoyed grimace.

"I know that, but somehow King George had a magic bean or something that created a portal." Snow said as calmly as she could.

"Maybe you should go talk to him then and stop wasting my time." Rumple replied.

"I can't talk to him because we can't find him." Snow said in an exasperated tone.

"Rumple, isn't there something you could do to help them?" Belle asked as she slipped her arm into his.

"I wish there was, but without a portal I can't do anything." Rumple answered Belle a little softer. Rumple then turned to Snow, "I will however help you find King George." Rumple informed Snow.

"Thank you. Bye Belle." Snow said with a sad smile before leaving the shop.

She kept coming to dead ends and she was starting to get discouraged. She tried talking to Regina, but besides saying she would try to help find King George, she didn't have anything to help. She did seem genuine in her attempt to help get Emma and David back, but there wasn't anything she could do to get them back. Neal hadn't had any luck finding King George even with the help of his father. Neal had offered to stay with Henry and Leo while she went to go talk to Regina and Rumple. She hated that she was returning with nothing accomplished, but she was at a loss of what to do until they could find King George.

**STORYBROOKE**

"Grams! Did you find anything out?" Henry asked as Snow came in the door.

"Not really, Henry. I think our best bet is finding King George and figuring out how he sent them through." Snow informed.

"And we will find him. I'm headed over to my dad's shop to go look again for him." Neal added as he handed Snow, Leo who had fallen asleep in his arms.

"Thanks Neal. Be careful. Did he give you any trouble?" Snow asked, speaking of Leo.

"No, no. He was great. It is nice being around a baby, I never got that chance with this one." Neal said as he gave Henry a side hug. "See ya later, buddy."

"Bye, dad!" Henry replied. Henry could tell that his grandma was discouraged and upset about not getting any help from Regina or Rumple. Henry could remember when he was feeling discouraged with Snow and Emma were stuck in the Enchanted Forest and Gramps was able to encourage him. He wanted to do the same for his grandma. "We are going to get them back, Grams. Either they will find us or we will find them because that's what our family does, right?"

"Yes, we do, Henry." Snow said with a couple of tears in her eyes. Henry was so intuitive and considerate it just touched her heart.

"Knowing Gramps, he is doing everything he can to get back here. When you two were in the Enchanted Forest, he never stopped looking for you guys." Henry said in an excited voice.

Snow smiled at how proud Henry was of his grandpa and at how much faith he had in Charming to get home. "You know your mom will be trying hard to get home, she never stopped trying to get home when we were there. I am sure she is doing the same this time." Snow said with a grin.

"Geez, just imagine those two together, they will be home in no time!" Henry exclaimed.

"Yes, I am sure they will be, but you're forgetting that we won't stop either. I know that your grandpa told me that you never stopped trying to get us home." Snow said catching Henry's enthusiasm.

"And you Grandma, you won't stop looking either. With all of us working to find each other, nothing is impossible." Henry said and then he hugged Snow.

"You are right, Henry. We will find each other, we always do." Snow said softly and she believed that they would find each other.

**ENCHANTED FOREST**

"Emma, sweetie." Charming gently woke up Emma. She had been sleeping for the last couple of hours and Charming wouldn't have woken her up if he didn't have to.

Emma groaned and slowly opened her eyes. "What?" Emma mumbled.

"One of Robin Hood's men brought us some stew for dinner. You haven't eaten since breakfast and I want you to try to eat some of this stew." Charming said with a smile as his daughter struggled to keep her eyes open.

"I am not hungry." Emma mumbled and closed her eyes.

"Hey, don't fall back asleep. You need to at least try to eat a little bit of the stew, okay?" Charming said as he shook Emma's shoulder to keep her awake. "Here, I'll help you sit up."

"You are too persistent." Emma grumbled as her father made her sit up.

Charming chuckled and got the bowl of stew that he prepared for Emma. When he turned back to Emma, she had her eyes closed and her head was leaning on her shoulder. "Emma, don't fall asleep yet. After you eat you can go back to sleep, okay?"

"Okay." Emma said slowly, drawing out the word.

"Here, you go." Charming said as he gave her the bowl of stew and a spoon. Then he sat on the chair next to the bed and ate his own stew.

"There isn't anything weird in here is there?" Emma asked as she stirred her stew while she looked in the bowl intently.

Charming smiled and looked down as he tried not to laugh at his daughter's serious expression as she inspected her stew. "Emma, it's just beef and vegetables." Charming watched as relief washed over Emma's face and then he chuckled softly.

"Ugh, vegetables. Why does there always have to be vegetables?" Emma complained and then she took a small bite of the stew.

"Don't let your mom hear you say that. She is all about the vegetables." Charming said with a grin.

"I know. She tries to get me to eat them all the time." Emma said with a groan and took another little bite of her stew. She was feeling a little nauseous, but she was also hungry. She didn't want to push herself too much so she just picked at the stew taking a small bite every once in awhile. She didn't want her father to start bugging her about not eating it. She hardly was eating it, but he didn't need to know that.

"It's because they are good for you. You know how she worries about your eating habits." Charming chuckled.

"I still don't like them." Emma stated as she picked at her food again.

"Emma, stop picking at your stew and eat it. We need to get something in you." Charming said after a few minutes of watching Emma push her stew around in the bowl.

"I am eating it." Emma said as she put a small spoonful in her mouth.

"Emma, this is the first bite you have had in the last couple of minutes. I want you to eat at least half of that bowl." Charming said firmly.

"That's so much. How about one-fourth of it? This is a bigger bowl than normal bowls." Emma tried to compromise with her father.

"It's a normal size bowl and you still have to eat half of it. You should eat all of it." Charming said seriously.

"One-third?" Emma asked with puppy dog eyes. "Please."

"Emma." Charming said in a disapproving tone as he tried to stay strong against those eyes. "Half of it."

Emma thought about trying harder, but her dad looked pretty set on half of it so she gave up for now. "Okay." Emma relented with a grimace as she started to eat more of her stew.

Charming was being to develop a picture in his head of what a little Emma would have looked like when she was told she had to eat her vegetables. She would probably stay at the table for a really long time suffering through eating what she didn't like. Right now, she was taking forever to finish half of the bowl of stew and it took about three times the amount of time it took him to finish his bowl and he ate all of it.

When Emma finished 'half of the bowl,' she handed it to her father. Charming set the bowl on the table and then turned back to Emma. "How are you feeling, Em?"

"Fine." Emma said quickly and without thinking about it much.

Charming rolled his eyes, but then felt Emma's forehead with the back of his hand. He frowned. "Hm, do you think you could stay up for a little while longer?" Charming asked, thinking that he needed to get her fever down.

"Yeah, I can." Emma wasn't as tired as she was when she first woke up and even if she was tired she would have tried to stay up anyway.

"Good." Charming said as he started to make some tea for Emma.

"So how are we going to get back?" Emma asked when her father turned back to her.

"I am not sure, but we will get back. I have no doubt about that." Charming replied.

"I am sorry, if I had been paying attention, I wouldn't have gotten this cut and we would have been already there. Then we could have been working on going on home." Emma said as she looked down at the blankets.

Charming's heart broke at how she blamed herself for something that was out of her control. "Emma." Charming said softly as he lifted her chin to raise her head up. "This wasn't your fault, sweetie. There isn't anything you need to be sorry for."

"I know." Emma said, but look a bit down still.

"Emma, we are going to get back to them. I will always find my family." Charming said as he looked into Emma's eyes.

"This is my fault too. I should have watched King George better. It's not like I haven't had someone throw a magic bean at my feet before. I should have been able to get out of the way sooner. And if anything, it should have only been me that had gone through the portal. You should be with your family and not me." Emma replied really feeling guilty for causing them to be separated again from their family. It also separated her new brother from his father.

"Emma, you are apart of my family and there was no way I was going to let you go through alone. You are my daughter, Emma, and both your mother and I love you so much. Why do you think King George choose to try to send you through a portal?" Charming replied, knowing that Emma had been holding on to some insecurities since the new addition into their family. She did not like to talk about it even though Snow and himself had try to talk to her many times over the last couple of months, but she would always avoid them.

"I was just an easier target. And come on, if he could have gotten Leo, he would have. And what am I to you guys? Just a reminder of everything you missed and everything I missed. Now you guys have everything you always wanted, why would you need me?" Emma said sadly, but sarcastically.

"Emma.." Charming started, but was cut off.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" Emma said feeling awkward that she brought up the subject. She was feeling a little more emotional from being sick and wasn't even sure if she totally believed everything she was saying. Also the last thing she wanted to do was hurt her dad or her mom that is why she kept ignoring and avoiding the conversations that they kept trying to have with her.

"Okay, but Emma. You mean everything to us. We love you and never want to be separated from you again." Charming said, hating that Emma didn't fully understand how much they loved her and how devastated they would be if they lost her. Even though, he would have preferred to talk this out, he knew that Emma was done with the conversation. Charming kissed her forehead before giving her a little space as he finished making the tea.

Emma took a deep breath after her father turned away. She was glad that he wasn't pushing her any further. She was feeling emotional and if they kept going she probably would end up crying, which she wasn't about to do tonight. She suddenly wondered why her father wanted her to stay up, but then realized what he was doing. She couldn't control the groan the slipped past her lips. "You want me to drink more of that tea, don't you?" Emma frowned.

"Yes, your fever is still high and we need to get it down. The tea will help bring it down." Charming said seriously, but a smile coming to his face. There was a reason he didn't mention the tea right away.

"But it's so gross." Emma complained.

"I know. I heard all about it earlier." Charming said with a cheeky grin. He wasn't planning on arguing with Emma over the tea.

"Then you know it's gross and you shouldn't make me drink it." Emma said with a smug expression.

"Good try, but you still have to drink it." Charming replied with an apologetic smile as he handed her the mug of tea.

Emma reluctantly took it with a scowl on her face, but had a feeling she was going to lose the fight over having to drink the tea. Not that she wasn't going to complain and try to get out of drinking it, but she felt like the battle was already lost.

Charming somehow got Emma to drink all of the tea, but it wasn't without a struggle. By the time Emma finished the tea, she was looking rather exhausted. Charming took the mug from her hand and set it on the table. He could tell it wouldn't be long before she fell asleep, but he wanted to leave the night on a good note with a story.

"Can I have some water?" Emma asked, interrupting Charming's thoughts.

"Of course." Charming said. "I'm going to go get some fresh water from the well outside. I'll be right back."

"Oh you don't have to if you have to go outside. It's fine." Emma replied, not wanting to be a burden to him.

"It's fine, Emma. I don't mind and you need to be drinking water anyway." Charming said and then he left the cabin.

It only took him a couple of minutes before he was back with the water. He poured her a glass of water and brought it over to Emma. She was looking even more tired than before he left. "Here you go, kiddo."

"Thanks." Emma said with sleepy smile.

"No problem." Charming replied as he sat down on the chair next to the bed. "Do you want to hear about how your mother and I meet?"

"Sure. I mean I have read the story in the book, but it would be nice to hear it from you." Emma replied with a shy smile.

"I was riding along in the carriage with Abigail who I was trying to make pleasant conversation with, but she was just complaining about everything and anything. I never wanted to marry her, but I was being blackmailed by King George to marry her."

"Wait. What? He was blackmailing you to marry her? I don't remember that part in the book." Emma asked.

"I thought you read the book?" Charming asked with a chuckle.

"I did, but I just skimmed some of the parts. Plus I read it before forgetting everything and those memories are still a little hazy at times." Emma explained.

"That makes sense. Well, King George and King Midas were merging the two kingdoms through our marriage. King Midas had promised King George gold for having me, his son, slay the dragon. When King Midas offered Abigail to me, I tried to tell him that I couldn't marry her, but King George told me that if I didn't marry her he would destroy my farm and kill my mother. He also told me that I would ruin the kingdom and consequently many lives within the kingdom." Charming continued.

"I still don't get the whole you're his son, yet you aren't his son thing." Emma asked thoroughly confused.

Charming chuckled and wondered if he would ever get to the part when he actually meets Snow because of all the interruptions by his daughter. "Well, you know about my twin brother, Prince James, right?"

"You have a twin brother? Where is he?" Emma asked. She had totally missed that part of the story.

"Yes, I had a twin brother that I didn't know about because my father made a deal with Rumplestiltskin. My brother went to King George and became his son. King Midas wanted my brother to slay a dragon, the same one that I slayed later, but he ended up dying right before. Therefore King George called on Rumple to help and Rumple found me. I was to act like I was Prince James and slay the dragon, which they never really expected me to do. The other men were going to slay it and then just act like I did it."

"What? You didn't slay the dragon then?" Emma asked, wondering if she was too tired to hear this story because she was sure that the book showed him slaying the dragon.

"I wasn't finished. I did slay the dragon after the attempts of the men I was with had failed. Anyway, back to the story of how I met your mother." Charming said in a bit exasperated.

Emma giggled.

"What?" Charming asked with smile.

"Sorry, 'how I met your mother' is a show. Go on." Emma replied.

"Ok, so we were on this road and the carriage stops which makes Abigail complain more. I got out to check what was wrong and that's when I went to look at the fallen tree. I noticed that it hadn't fallen on its own, but someone purposefully cut it down to block the road. That's when I heard, Abigail scream from carriage because your mother had stolen my jewels from the carriage. Snow had jumped on a horse and galloped away with my jewels so I jumped on the nearest horse to follow her. I caught up with her and managed to tackle her off her horse and onto the ground. I told her to show her face and when I saw her face I was stunned because of two different reasons. One being that she was a girl and I just assumed it was a man I was chasing. And when I said she was a girl, she quickly corrected me saying she was a woman. Then she proceeded to hit me with a rock giving me this wonderful scar." Charming said as he pointed to his scar on his chin.

"I remember that from the book, but what was the second this reason you were stunned you only mentioned one reason." Emma asked. She was curious to know the stuff that wasn't in the book.

"The second reason why I was so stunned was because she was so breathtakingly beautiful." Charming replied as he thought about the moment when he first laid eyes on Snow.

"That is so unbelievably cheesy!" Emma said with a smile. She did think it was cheesy, but she also loved it because she could tell that her father was serious. She really loved hearing stories from her parents, but at the moment she wasn't sure she was going to be able to keep her eyes open much longer. She yawned, but then smiled again as he father continued.

Charming chuckled at Emma's response, but then continued with the story. "So your mother jumped on the horse and starting riding away. As she was riding away I yelled at her 'You can't hide from me. Where ever you are I will find you.' I remember after I yelled that she looked back and gave me the cutest smile. I was a little annoyed that she stole my jewels from me especially because it had my mother's ring in it, but there was something about her that caught my eye from the beginning. That is why I went after her in the first place was to get the ring back that she had stolen from me. I didn't plan on falling in love with her on the troll bridge." Charming paused and looked at Emma who had become rather quiet. Charming smiled as he realized that Emma had fallen asleep so he decided to continue the story another time.

Charming gently took the glass of water out of Emma's hand and put it on the table. He then pulled the covers down on the bed before he gently picked up Emma and laid her down on the bed.

"I'm still listening." Emma mumbled as he moved her down in the bed, but didn't open her eyes.

"It's okay, Emma. Just go to sleep, I'll tell you the rest of the story tomorrow." As he talked he covered Emma back up in the covers so she wouldn't get cold.

"Goodnight, Emma." Charming said quietly and then he kissed her forehead. "I love you."

**ENCHANTED FOREST**

Something wasn't right. As she woke up, she was trembling from chills and she knew it was because of her fever. Normally, it wouldn't worry her, bur for some reason she was starting to panic because of it. Maybe it was because they were in the Enchanted Forest without regular medicines, but she didn't feel right. It must be the middle of night because it was pitch dark besides the fire that was almost out. She could almost make out the bed on the other side of the room where her father was sleeping.

Emma closed her eyes trying to calm the panic that was rising in her. She couldn't stop shaking and she felt so cold like she would never warm up again. She opened her eyes and glanced over to her dad, willing him to wake up. Instead of calming down, she started to panic more and felt the need to go to him. Before she really thought about it, she was climbing out of bed and on her way over to her dad.

"Dad." Emma said as she trembled from the chills she was getting from her fever. "Dad, please wake up." Emma said as she shook his shoulder.

Charming was surprised to wake up to see a pale Emma shaking and looking panicked. "What's wrong, baby?" Charming said in a tired, yet panicked voice as he brought her down to sit on the bed.

"Sorry, I…just…something isn't…right. Can't stop….shaking." Emma struggled to tell her dad.

"Hey, hey. It's okay, I've got you." Charming said as he felt her forehead. "Oh you're burning up, Emma. We need to get you back in bed." Charming said as he got off the bed and picked Emma up in a fireman's hold to bring her back to her bed.

Charming put Emma in bed and pulled the covers over her. He grabbed a couple of extra blankets that he found in the cabin and used them to cover up Emma as well. She was shaking from the chills and he was worried about her. He was about to go stroke the fire since it was practically out when Emma grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Please don't leave. I am scared." Emma admitted.

"Oh honey, I am not leaving you and I'm going to take care of you. You have nothing to worry about." Charming said as he sat on the edge of Emma's bed. Before he realized it, Emma had sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him.

Emma was surprised by her own reaction to what he said. She didn't even give herself the okay to just let herself hug him, but she was glad that she did. It helped her relax when he hugged her back, slowly rubbing her back as he did.

"It's okay, Emma. I've got you." Charming murmured as he held Emma close for a few moments until she calmed down.

After Emma settled down, Charming quickly stroked the fire and got a cold compress for Emma. She was still shivering even under all the blankets he managed to pile on top of her. He looked at Emma's cut and decided that he needed to treat it again with the herbs. "Emma, honey, I need to treat your cut again."

"Ok." Emma replied with a frown as she looked up at him with sad, feverish eyes.

"It will be over quick, sweetie. I promise." Charming said as he touched her face gently with his hand before getting up to get what he needed.

Emma glanced down at the cut on her arm it looked pretty bad. It was swollen and red from the infection. It looked a bit scary and she was a little worried about it.

"Are you ready?" Charming asked, noticing Emma looking at her arm with a scared look in her eyes, which threw him for a loop because she was always so strong and fearless with everything and to see his daughter afraid shook him to the core. She nodded her head to his question. "Emma, it's okay. I am going to get your better. A similar thing happened with your mother when she cut her leg. I took care of her and got her better. It will be fine." Charming said firmly and confidently.

"Ok." Emma replied. She looked into his eyes and saw that he was telling the truth. She knew she could trust her dad.

"Ok, let's get this over with so you get back to sleep, kiddo." Charming replied, looking at Emma lovingly.

"Yeah, just do what you need to do." Emma agreed as she nodded her head.

"That's my girl." Charming said proudly as he focused his attention on her arm.

Emma watched her father as he worked on her arm. He was so focused on it and extremely gentle. She watched as he got the hot rag that he soaked in the water with herbs. She was the never the person to look away when she was getting a shot, she preferred to see what was happening to her. So it didn't come as a surprise to her when her dad put the rag on her arm, but it did cause her to jump as it stung.

"Sorry, but it should help draw out the infection. Tomorrow, I'll make some salve for it." Charming said with an apologetic smile.

"It's okay." Emma said with a smile. She continued to watch as he wrapped her arm up. He ripped the end of the cloth and tied it up around her arm. "Thanks." Emma said in a tired voice, only shivering a little now.

"Anything for you, sweetie." Charming replied as he covered her arm back up with the covers. "Are you feeling any better?"

"A little." Emma replied.

"Good. Well, I'll let you sleep then. Rest will help your get better faster." Charming said trying to give Emma some space.

"Um, do you think….I mean….you can…stay…if you want." Emma replied feeling slightly embarrassed about not wanting him to leave her just yet.

"Of course I would like to stay." Charming said as he sat on the bed and leaned against the headboard. As soon as he did, Emma sat up a little and leaned against him seeking his comfort. Charming put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. He pulled the covers up to make sure his daughter was covered since she was still getting the chills every once in awhile.

Father and daughter stayed like that for over an hour. Emma slipped off to sleep soon after, but Charming stayed awake keeping an eye on his daughter as she slept. Her fever was still pretty high and he knew it would take a little bit for the herbs to work on her infection, but he wasn't about to leave her alone with such a high fever. Although, he would have loved to stay and hold his daughter he didn't want her to get a cramp in her neck from how she was laying against him. He gently got off the bed and made sure Emma was comfortable. Then he got a cold compress ready, sat down on the chair by the bed, and put the cold compress on her forehead.

It was about three in the morning and Charming was dozing in the chair when he woke up to Emma mumbling in her sleep as she moved her head back and forth on the pillow. Charming quickly soaked the compress and started wiping away the sweat that covered her forehead. He took off some of the blankets that he had put on her to cool her down.

He wasn't sure what Emma was dreaming about in her feverish dreams, but his heart did a double take when he heard her mumble two different words. _Daddy. Mommy. _Most of what she was mumbling didn't make much sense to him, but those two words did. He tried his best to soothe her by tracing circles with the tips of his fingers on her forehead and cheek while murmuring comforting words to her. "I am here, Emma. Daddy's here." He was surprised when his soothing efforts actually worked and she started to sleep a little more peacefully.

Charming kissed his daughter's forehead as she slept and then whispered quietly to her, "I am going to get you better, sweetheart, and get you back to your mommy. I promise."

**STORYBROOKE**

She wasn't sure why she suddenly woke up when it was completely silent in the house, but she got up to go check on both Henry and Leo. She went to check on Leo first, who was sleeping soundly. He was super cute as he slept with his little thumb in his mouth. After a few minutes of admiring her little son, she made her way to Henry's room. Henry was sprawled out on the bed sleeping peacefully. She fixed his covers so that his feet were covered and then bent over to kiss his forehead. She tipped toed out of the room closing the door behind her. She walked downstairs to the kitchen and for the first time she realized it was about 3 in the morning. Why did she wake up so suddenly with the feeling that someone needed her? She filled the teapot with water and put it on the stove as she mulled over why she woke up when it was obvious that no one needed her here. That's when it hit her like a ton of bricks, it wasn't Henry or Leo that needed her it was Emma that needed her. She knew it, something was wrong and her daughter needed her. Snow gripped the side of the counter as she started to panic, thinking about all the possible things that could have happened to her daughter. Emma could be injured or sick or even separated from her father. Or the witch's men could have gotten her. There were just so many things that flooded Snow's mind of what could have happened to her daughter to make her need her. Snow took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. Her husband was with her, he wouldn't leave her for a minute, She knew that and if she was hurt or sick Charming knew everything to do to help her get better. Her husband would take care of their daughter, it was just so hard to think that her daughter needed her and she wasn't there to be with her. Snow suddenly stood up straight and took another deep breath to calm herself down. It would be okay. This would just make her more motivated to find her daughter and her husband, to get them back to where they belong. Her daughter would be okay, she knew that, but it still broke her heart knowing that Emma needed her.

"It's okay, Emma. I'll get you back here. I'll find you. I promise, baby, I promise."

**Please Review! **


	6. Mistrust and Hope

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 6! OUAT is a week away! So excited, I can't wait! Anyway, I wasn't sure what to name this chapter. :/ Thanks for the reviews, I enjoy getting them! I hope you like this chapter! Enjoy!:) **

**Mistrust and Hope**

Emma blinked slowly as she took in the light that was coming into the cabin. She wasn't sure how long she had slept, but for some reason she felt tired and achy despite the sleep.

The cabin door opened and her father came in with a bucket of water. "Hey, your up. I was wondering when you were going to wake up." Charming said as put the bucket of water down and walked over to Emma.

"What time is it?" Emma asked in a tired voice.

"It's about one in the afternoon." Charming replied.

"What? We have to get going." Emma said as she started to push the covers off.

"Oh no you don't. You have to stay in bed." Charming said as he pushed her gently down and covered her back up with blankets.

"But we have to go. Why didn't you wake me?" Emma asked.

"Because you needed to sleep. Your fever just broke a little while ago. We aren't going to the castle today. You need to rest to get your strength back." Charming said calmly as he checked Emma's forehead.

"But I am fine." Emma complained in a low whiny voice.

He gave her a look that clearly said "seriously." Then he went and poured some water for his daughter. "Here you go, baby." Charming said without thinking about it, and then he held his breath realizing what he just said. He was waiting for one of Emma's walls to go up. He really didn't mean to say 'baby' it just rolled off his tongue.

Emma took the cup of water from her father, but then realize what he just said. It was weird because she liked it, but didn't want to really bring it up so she acted like she didn't hear him. But it reminded her of the dream she had the night before. It was a weird, yet interesting dream that she had. It was a dream of her living with her parents in the Enchanted Forest as if the curse never happened.

_Emma was 4 years old living with her parents in the Enchanted Forest. Snow was on a trip that involved kingdom business and was due back the next evening. Charming on the other hand was busy in a meeting that couldn't be canceled which left little Emma in the care of Johanna. Snow and Charming preferred to take care of Emma themselves, but since they were running a kingdom there were times when it was not avoidable to have to leave her with someone else. Johanna was the most trustworthy in their eyes so normally Emma was put in the care of Johanna. This was one of those times both Charming and Snow were occupied with kingdom business. _

_Emma missed her mommy. She had been away for a couple of days, which was way too long in Emma's eyes. It felt like forever for the little girl. Her Daddy was in a meeting, but she want to be with him so she decided to sneak into the meeting. If she was really quiet, she might be able to sneak in without anyone knowing; she just wanted to be near him. _

_She could hear her Uncle Grumpy yelling at the round table and then her father saying something back. They were all so focused on the meeting that no one noticed a little girl crawling across the floor to the table. She squeezed through two of her father's men to get under the table so that she could crawl over to where her father was sitting. _

"_I think we may have a visitor…" Granny said with a chuckle after she felt something brush against her leg and then saw a little Emma under the table. _

"_What do you mean?" Charming asked._

_Granny motioned under the table and Charming looked under the table to see his sweet little girl with her baby blanket laying at his feet. "Emma, why aren't you with Miss Johanna?" _

_Emma shrugged her shoulders. "I miss you and mommy. And she was going to put me to bed." Emma replied as she clutched her baby blanket. _

"_Why was she going to put you to bed?" Charming asked, thinking it was a little early for a nap. _

_Emma shrugged her shoulders again. "She said that I was sick, but I didn't want to go to bed. I wanted to be with you." Emma answered with a sad expression that was enough to make Charming's heart melt. _

"_Come here, baby." Charming said as he held his arms out for Emma. Emma promptly got up from the ground and went into her Daddy's arms. Charming picked her up and put her in his lap. "Do you not feel well?" Charming asked as he felt her forehead with the back of his hand. _

_Emma nodded her head. "I don't feel so good, Daddy." Emma replied as she leaned against her father's chest. _

"_That's probably why Miss Johanna was going to put you in bed. You really shouldn't have left her. She probably is worried about you." Charming reprimanded in a gentle voice. _

"_I know, but I just wanted to be with you. Can I just stay here with you? I'll be good I promise." Emma pleaded giving her famous puppy dog eyes. _

_Charming knew he couldn't say no to Emma when she gave him that look and when she was sick. Plus he knew Emma was missing her mommy so telling her she had to leave him wasn't something he could do. "Okay, you can stay for a little while, but then we are going to get Doc to look at you." Charming said as he spread Emma's baby blanket over her. _

"_Thank you, Daddy. You're the best!" Emma exclaimed as she hugged her Daddy._

"_Your welcome, baby." Charming replied as he hugged Emma back. He loved Emma's hugs, no matter how many he got from his precious little girl, he could never get enough of them. Charming kissed her forehead that was warmer than normal before looking over at one of his men. "Would you mind sending someone to tell Johanna where Emma is so that she doesn't get worried about her." Charming asked. _

"_Yes, sir." The guard said before leaving to do the King's bidding. _

"_Thanks." Charming replied._

_Emma snuggled closer to her father and tried very hard to keep her eyes open. It only took a few minutes before her eyes drooped closed and she fell asleep against her father's chest. _

_The meeting went on, a little quieter than normal for the sake of Emma, for the next hour as they finished up talking about the reminder of the topics that they had planned to discuss. Emma slept through the rest of the meeting, against her father's chest with her little thumb in her mouth and her baby blanket wrapped around her along with another blanket. She had started shivering during the meeting and Charming had one of the guards get another blanket for her. _

_Charming carefully carried his daughter up to his and Snow's room thinking that it might be better if he could keep an eye on her throughout the night. He sent for Doc who showed up soon after he got to the room. He assured Charming that she would be okay after a few days of rest. She was running a fever and had a cold. The Doc gave instructions for Charming and told him he would be back tomorrow to check on her. _

_Throughout the rest of the day and night, Charming stayed by Emma's side keeping her as cool as possible and soothing her with words of comfort. _

"_Daddy." Emma cried out through her fever dreams. _

"_I am here, Emma. Daddy's here." Charming soothed Emma. _

"_Mommy." Emma cried out again, this time for her mother. _

"_It's okay, baby. Mommy will be home soon." Charming comforted his daughter. "Mommy and Daddy love you so much and we will get you better again." _

"Emma." Charming said for the third time as he tried to get Emma's attention.

"Yeah." Emma answered as she was brought back to reality. The dream had been so realistic and unlike anything she had ever dreamed about.

"You were miles away. What were you thinking about?" Charming asked as he could see Emma thinking about something.

"I had a dream the other night and I was just thinking about it." Emma answered.

"Was it a good dream?" Charming asked. He wondered if it had anything to do with what she had said in her sleep the other night.

"For the most part it was." Emma replied. She probably dreamed about it because it was very similar to the situation they were in now besides the fact that Snow was coming home the next day.

"What was it about?" Charming asked, hoping that Emma would open up to him. She had been doing a little better about opening up to them, but there were still sometimes when she would shut down completely when they asked a personal question.

Emma hesitated wondering if she wanted to share her dream with her dad. It was a very cute dream and he may actually like hearing it, but it was a little embarrassing that she was dreaming about being a little kid again.

Although Emma pretty much convinced her self that she didn't want to tell her father her dream, it came out anyway surprising both herself and her father. "It was about us, but I was younger, about four, and we were living in the Enchanted Forest." Emma began.

Charming was very interested and touched that she dreamed about living with them in the Enchanted Forest. He was also very surprised that she was sharing something so personal with him. He didn't dare say anything when she paused not wanting her to stop telling him about her dream.

Emma continued telling her father about her dream, who was so intent as he listen to her. She could tell he was enjoying her dream because he didn't get to spend time with his little girl at that age or any other age for 28 years.

"Did your mother ever come back in your dream?" Charming asked after Emma finished telling about her dream. It was a cute dream despite that Emma was sick in it and Snow wasn't in it. He imagined that something like that could have happened if the curse hadn't happen.

"No, but she was suppose to the next day. It ended before she got back and before I got better." Emma said feeling a little sad because it would have been nice to see her mother even if it was in a dream.

"That's sad. You will have to tell me if you dream about it again." Charming said with a smile, happy that Emma shared it with him.

Emma nodded. She was feeling rather tired after retelling her dream to her father and was starting to nod off.

Charming could tell Emma was still tired and not feeling the greatest, but he needed to get her to eat something and drink some more of the tea that Emma loved so much. While she had slept, he had made some salve for her cut and treated her cut again. Adam had given him so food for Emma and himself so he didn't have to worry about finding any.

"Emma, I know you are tired, but I want you to try to eat some of this. Also I need you to drink some of this tea that you like so much." Charming said with smile.

"I thought my fever broke? Why do I need to drink more tea?" Emma asked, hating the idea of drinking more of the disgusting tea.

"It will help you get better faster." Charming said as he gave her the tea and some food.

"You know, you really shouldn't make me drink tea after what I went through with tea." Emma said trying to get out of drinking the tea by making her dad feel sorry for her.

"What do you mean? What did you go through with tea?" Charming asked, having no clue what his daughter was referring to.

"Oh. You never heard about what happen to me and Mary-Margaret before the curse was broken." Emma realized.

"What happen?" Charming asked, feeling slightly worried even though it was done and over with.

"Well, when I found out that Mary-Margaret escaped jail, I went to look for her." Emma started.

"Wait. She escaped jail?" Charming asked in a surprised voice.

"Yeah, Regina had left one of her skeleton keys in the cell for her to find so that she would escape. Anyway, I went looking for her, hoping I could find her and bring her back before Regina found out at the hearing. Anyway, it was the middle of night and I was a little tired."

"A little tired? You were dead on your feet for over a week. You were exhausted." Charming interrupted, remembering that even as David Nolan he was worried about Emma. He remembered that she was working so hard to prove Mary-Margaret's innocence and every day she looked even more tired than the day before.

"Okay, I was exhausted. I accidentally ran a guy off the road who hurt his foot in the process, or so I thought."

"You probably shouldn't have driven being as tired as you were. You should have called me I would have helped you." Charming interrupted Emma.

"But, I didn't know you were my dad than or Mary-Margaret's husband. Anyway, I drove him home and helped him inside. I was about to go, but he offered me tea and showed me a map of Storybrooke. Oh and I had told him I was looking for my dog, Spot. Anyway, I drank the tea, which made me feel really dizzy so he laid me down on the couch. Right before I passed out, I realized that he didn't have a limp and that I had been set up by this man, but by the time it was too late. I woke up later to find that he had tied me up, but it was really easy to get out of it. I got up and went to the door. I saw him in the room across from the one I was in and he was sharpening scissors. I slowly made my way down the hall until a board creaked under my feet. I went into the room I was near and when I turned around I saw Mary-Margaret tied to a chair. I untied her quickly and we both snuck out of the room. When we turned around, Jefferson was pointing my gun at us. He made me re-tie up mom and then had me come with him. That's when he tried to get me to make a hat for him which I quickly realized that he was suppose to be the Mad Hatter, even though I didn't really believe him or Henry at the time. I finally made the hat, but it still didn't work. I acted like I believed in him, saying that I would try to make the hat work again, but then I hit him over the head with his telescope when he turned to go get the hat. I ran back to mom and untied her again, but before I knew it Jefferson was back and he tackled both of us to the ground. We struggled for a while, but then he ended up getting my gun again. Mary-Margaret hit him in the head with a croquet mallet and kicked him out of the window, which was very impressive. It was weird when he fell out of the window he disappeared. Only the hat was left." Emma finished.

"Wait so Jefferson, the Mad Hatter, kidnapped my wife and daughter? I am going to kill him." Charming said, as he comprehended what his daughter just told him.

"Whoa, calm down. He was desperate to find a way to be with his daughter. He didn't hurt us." Emma replied.

"Uh he drugged my daughter and pointed a gun at her more than once. He least deserves a couple of punches to the face." Charming said still mad at the thought of his wife and daughter being held by Jefferson.

Emma thought it was cute how he kept referring to her at his daughter and that he was being over-protective once again. "Thanks, but its okay at least on my part. But I wouldn't mind punching him for kidnapping mom even though technically he saved her life." Emma said thoughtfully.

Charming chuckled. "No problem, princess. But, I think I will punch him for the both of you anyway."

Emma rolled her eyes at the nickname and her father's overprotectiveness over her. "So I don't have to drink the tea right?" Emma said hopefully with a charming smile.

"Sorry, kiddo. I'm afraid you will have to drink this tea." Charming said with smirk. "But, maybe you shouldn't drink other people's tea." Charming added.

"But I'm traumatized." Emma complained and gave her father a fake a terrified look.

"For some reason, I don't believe you." Charming replied with a chuckle at his daughter's exaggerated expression.

"Oh come on, _Daddy, _please don't make me drink it." Emma said with a puppy dog face.

Charming sighed. "That is low and I would fall for it if it wasn't about your health. I will, however, make you a deal."

"What's that?" Emma asked, suspicious of what he was going to offer.

"This will be the last time you have to drink the tea unless your fever comes back." Charming said.

"Okay." Emma resigned. She thought it was good to know that putting her puppy dog face with using _Daddy _is very effective if her health isn't involved.

"Good. Well, I have to go find Adam. He wanted to talk to me about something earlier." Charming stated.

"Are you sure we can trust them?" Emma asked still a little weary of these new people.

"Yes, baby." Charming said with a kind smile.

"_Baby? _Seriously? I am not a baby." Emma said with a smile.

"But you will always be my baby." Charming said with a grin.

Emma rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to admit, but she liked it. "Just don't use it in public." Emma sighed.

"Can I use any nicknames in public?" Charming said with chuckle.

"Hm. You can use Em, but none of the others." Emma said seriously. "You have a lot of nicknames for me." Emma realized.

"I'm making up for lost time." Charming said with smirk.

Emma nodded with a smile.

"While I am gone finish eating and drink your tea. I won't be gone long." Charming said.

"Just be careful." Emma said in a worried voice.

"I will, but there is no need to worry." Charming said as he patted Emma's head with his hand. He turned to leave, but then turned back. "And stay in bed this time." Charming added firmly.

Emma couldn't promise that she would because if he was gone for too long she would definitely get out of bed. She nodded anyway just to show him that she heard him.

"See you in a little bit." Charming said before he left the cabin. Charming wasn't totally convinced that Emma would actually obey him and stay in bed. He would make sure that he wasn't gone to long so that she didn't get worried and try to look for him. He didn't quite understand why she was so worried about him and so weary of these men. He hadn't found anything that would make him not trust them.

He didn't want to get Emma hopes up, but Adam said he would ask around about a way for them to get back home. It sounded like they may have found something or at least know of something that they could try. If they ended up not finding anything than there was no harm done, but if there was something that could help them get home that would be great.

"Adam. Did you find anything out?" Charming asked as he approached Adam and some of his men.

"I found one thing that could or could not be helpful. There is a legend of a ring that can be used as a portal that may be able to get you home." Adam answered.

"That would be great. Where is it suppose to be?" Charming asked.

"It is suppose to be in the mountains in Seven Gales." Adam replied.

"If it has been there why has no one gone to look for it?" Charming asked knowing that it had to be harder than it sounded. It always was.

'"Well there is a dragon that is guarding it. The legends say that it is like no other dragon." Adam answered.

"Of course. Well it is a good thing that both my daughter and I have fought dragons and won." Charming replied a bit sarcastically. He didn't really like the idea of Emma fighting a dragon. He didn't like that she had already had to fight a dragon, but he was proud of her.

"Your daughter has slayed a dragon?" Adam asked slightly in awe.

"Yes, she has. Right before she broke the curse she slayed a dragon with my sword." Charming said proudly.

"Wow, I am impressed. Well if you need anything, let me know." Adam said.

"Thanks. We will probably head out for my place tomorrow morning and get the supplies we need before heading to Seven Gales." Charming said.

"We have a spare horse if you would like to use it." Adam offered.

"That would be very helpful. Now, I probably should get back to my daughter. Thank you for all your help." Charming said as he shook Adam's hand.

"It's our pleasure, David." Adam replied in earnest.

Charming nodded and started to walk away.

"Adam, have you seen Richard?" Marcus yelled.

Charming turned back hearing the panic in Marcus voice. "Who's Richard?"

"He is new to our camp. He has been with us for the last month, but we like to keep an eye on him. We don't quite trust him, but I am sure it is nothing." Adam replied.

"Okay, well if you need help let me know." Charming said, not liking the idea that Emma might be right about at least one of these men. She did have a unique sense for detecting whether someone was lying and whether she could trust them or not.

"If you wouldn't mind helping us look for him, that would be great." Adam replied.

"Of course." Charming replied. He felt like he owned them for helping Emma and himself. He was happy to help them for a change.

Adam gave Charming a quick description of the man in question before they parted ways to look for the man.

***ENCHANTED FOREST ***

Emma had finished as much as she could of the food and a majority of the tea that her father kept making her drink. She was still working on it, but it was cold and her mother was right it was worse cold than it was warm. Her dad had been gone for quite a while and even though she knew he could definitely take care of himself, she was still worried about him. She just felt like something was off. Not with all the men, but maybe a few of them. She trusted the guy named Adam and the other guy Marcus, but she remember one man from the other day that seemed a little off. It was probably nothing, but she would still feel better when it was just the two of them again.

After finishing the disgusting tea, she was rather exhausted and decided to close her eyes for a few minutes as she waited for her father to get back. When she felt herself start to drift off to sleep, she quickly woke her self up. She wasn't going to fall asleep until her father was back.

Emma must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, she was waking up from the door from the cabin shutting. Emma figured it was her dad getting back from talking to Adam. She looked over to see a man who was clearly not her father, but the man she remember from before.

"What do you want?" Emma asked wearily as she sat up in bed, scanning the room for something to defend herself if she needed it.

"Let me introduce myself first before we talk business. My name is Richard and you are going to help me." Richard said with an evil smirk on his face.

"Why would I help you?" Emma asked. She didn't appreciate it when people told her what she was going to do. She was her own person and she didn't take orders for anyone else with the exception of her parents (and sometimes not even them sometimes).

"Because you won't have a choice." Richard said as he started to walk towards Emma.

**Please Review!**

**Author's note: Emma's dream is something I thought of that would have been cute if she grew up with them in the Enchanted Forest. :) I thought it would connect well with what she said the night before in her sleep and what is going on in the story. :) Thanks for reading this chapter! :) **


	7. Totally Worth It

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 7! Sorry this took so long to get to you! I had it finished earlier this week and I lost half of the chapter! I had to rewrite it! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. It's dedicated to my Dad who if he was still alive would have turned 58 last Thursday. Thanks for all the reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Enjoy :)**

**Totally Worth It **

**Storybrooke 6 hours earlier….**

Snow did not sleep well after she woke up with the feeling that Emma needed her. Everytime she tried to sleep she would start thinking about how Emma needed her and she would become so worried that she couldn't fall asleep. After a few hours of trying to sleep, Snow got up and started to clean. Whenever she was at a loss of what to do she would clean. It helped her sort out her problems as she worked.

She needed to get her family back, but how was she going to help them? She thought back to when she and Emma were stuck in the Enchanted Forest. They were able to get the compass and the ashes from the wardrobe to get home. They didn't have the compass or the ashes anymore so that would be of no help to them. There wasn't any magic beans left that they knew of, but King George had to of used something to create portal. They needed to find him. If they could find him, then maybe he had another way to create portal. But was there anything else that could be helpful from her and Emma's trip to the Enchanted Forest? Snow kept pondering over everything that had happened while they were there and the events that lead to them getting back to Storybrooke. She was able to wake up Charming from the sleeping curse that he willingly had undergone to help his wife and daughter get home.

Snow stopped cleaning as she realized that she had a way to communicate with her family – the sleeping curse, the fiery room. She just had to find a way to get into a deep sleep so that she could go there again. It was definitely worth a try.

Snow was excited. It was the first real lead she had since her daughter and husband had gone missing. Even if she just got the chance to see Charming and know that they were okay, it would give her the strength to keep looking for them. She was going to get her family back. Somehow, someway, they would be together again. She had faith that they would find each other like they always did.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST *****

"Why would I help you?" Emma asked.

"Because you won't have a choice." Richard said as he started to walk towards Emma.

"I always have a choice." Emma said as she got out of the bed. She knew she didn't have all her strength, but it wasn't in her genes to not put up a fight.

Richard chuckled, "Not this time."

Emma made a run for it and tackled Richard to the ground. Although, she was able to tackle him, she wasn't able to keep him pinned to the ground. She soon found her self pinned to the ground instead.

"Well that went well, Emma." Richard taunted as he kept her pinned to the floor.

"I am not done yet." Emma replied right before she kicked him and pushed him off of her.

Emma got up and ran over towards the door, but Richard got there first blocking her way. So Emma punched him in the face, but then Richard punched her back causing her to fall to the ground. Before she had a chance to get back up, Richard had his sword to her throat.

"I wouldn't move, darling." Richard whispered.

Emma could feel the blade starting to dig into her neck. "What do you want from me?" Emma said in a low, angry voice.

"What? Are you giving up?" Richard said with a chuckle.

"I never give up. What do you want from me?" Emma asked again.

"You are going to slay a dragon for me." Richard stated.

"And why would I do that?" Emma asked in slow, but angry voice.

"Like I said before, You won't have a choice." Richard said before he hit Emma over the head, knocking her out cold.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

"I found no trace of Richard, Adam." Marcus said as he met Adam, Charming, and a couple more merry men who had searched for Richard.

"Neither did I." Adam said quickly. "Maybe he went out hunting. Let's just keep an eye out for him."

"Will do." Marcus said and the other men nodded their heads in silent agreement.

Adam turned back to Charming, "Thanks for your help. I am sure it is nothing, but just keep a look out for him." Adam said.

"I will. I better get back to Emma, she is probably wondering where I am." Charming said, hoping that Emma didn't try to go and look for him when he didn't come back right away.

"Of course." Adam replied with a smile.

Charming quickly walked back to the cabin. He really didn't expect to be away that long. He was hoping the Emma fell asleep and didn't realize how long he had been gone. When Charming reached the cabin, he heard voices coming from the inside the cabin. One of them was distinctly Emma's and the other voice was a man's voice that he didn't recognize.

Charming bursted through the door to see Emma knocked out on the floor with a man who had recently been holding a sword to Emma's neck from the looks of the cut on Emma's neck. Charming drew his sword preparing to fight this man.

"Get away from my daughter!" Charming said in a low, deadly voice.

The man swung around with his sword ready for a fight.

Charming and Richard started to sword fight until Richard lost his sword and ran from the cabin. Charming started to follow him, but he wasn't going to leave Emma. Instead of leaving her, he called out to some of the merry men telling them what Richard just did. They then went after Richard.

Charming ran back inside to his daughter, who was starting to stir from being knocked out. "Emma, Emma." Charming called as he knelt by Emma on the floor.

Emma groaned as her hand went to her head.

"Are you alright?" Charming asked as he moved Emma so that she was leaning against his legs.

"Yeah, just have a headache." Emma replied.

"What happen?" Charming asked as he looked at Emma's head and then at the cut on her neck.

"He wanted me to help him slay a dragon." Emma said wondering why the man wanted her to slay a dragon in the first place.

"Oh I see." Charming said, knowing what the man wanted: the ring.

"What? Do you know why he wanted me to do that?" Emma asked knowing that her father knew something from the look on his face.

"I just found out before they found that Richard was missing that there is a ring being guarded by a dragon in Seven Gales. The ring is thought to be able to be used as a portal. Adam told me about it, thinking it could be a way for us to get home." Charming explained as he picked Emma off the floor and carried her to the bed.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Emma said right after her father placed her on the bed. She tried to get up, but Charming stopped her.

"Whoa. We can't go right now." Charming replied with a chuckle.

"Why not?" Emma asked quickly as she tried to get off the bed again, but was prevented by her dad once again.

"For one, you are hurt. For two, you are still recovering from the infection, and third, it is just about dark outside." Charming said sternly. Emma relaxed under his touch. "We will get to the ring, but it's going to take some traveling. We will go to the castle tomorrow and get ready to go slay the dragon and get the ring. But tonight, we are staying here so you can recover."

Emma sighed. "Okay." He made some good points and she really did not have the strength to do much at the moment.

"You're bleeding." Charming said as he grabbed a cloth to dab at the cut on his daughter's head.

Emma winced as her father cleaned the cut on her forehead. She had a killer of a headache and she felt like sleeping so she closed her eyes.

"Emma, honey. You can't fall asleep yet. You may have a concussion." Charming said as he gently rubbed her arm.

"But it hurts and I am tired." Emma complained as she opened her eyes to look at her father.

"I know. It will just be for a little bit so that I can make sure you are okay." Charming replied softly as he looked at the cut. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" Charming asked, but then saw the cut on her neck from the sword. It wasn't deep and he really hoped it wasn't affected.

"No, I am fine." Emma replied.

"Fine, right." Charming smirked as he took care of the cut on her neck. "Did you drink all the tea?' Charming asked.

"Yes." Emma replied with a disgusting look on her face.

Charming gave Emma an apologetic look. "Good. Hopeful that will help." Emma looked exhausted and he could tell that her head was hurting from the way she was wincing every once in a while. He put a cool, wet cloth on Emma's forehead hoping it would help ease the pain of her headache.

"That feels good." Emma admitted quietly as she closed her eyes again.

"The cut on your neck doesn't look deep, but we will have to watch it. And I don't think you were out for too long so you probably don't have a concussion, but I want you to stay up for a little while longer." Charming said as he fixed the blanket so it covered Emma better.

"I am not sure how much longer I can stay awake, Dad." Emma said as she opened her eyes.

"Maybe this will help." Charming said as he lifted Emma up a little and positioned himself to sit behind her on the bed. Then he leaned her against him so she was sitting up, but leaning against him. "Now we are going to play the question game. I'll ask you a question then you can ask me a question." Charming said with a smile.

"Okay." Emma said slowly, not sure she would actually like this game, but she trusted her dad.

"What's your favorite color?" Charming asked, with a chuckle. He wasn't planning on asking her personal questions. He just needed to keep her awake and he didn't want to pry.

Emma gave a soft chuckle before answering "red. My turn?" Emma asked.

"Mm Hm." Charming nodded.

"Ok. If I would have grown up with you guys, would you have let me get a puppy?" Emma asked with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Yeah. If you wanted a puppy, You would have had one." Charming said with a chuckle.

"Good, I always wanted a puppy." Emma replied.

"Did you ever have any pets?" Charming asked.

"Not really. One of the homes had a cat, but I hated it and I am pretty sure it hated me. I called it my nemesis. Oh. One of the places had a dog that I really liked, but I wasn't there for very long." Emma said sadly. "My turn! Did you have any pets?" Emma asked.

"Emma. I lived on a farm. I had lots of pets." Charming said with a chuckle.

"Ok. Ok. Let me rephrase my question. Did you have a favorite pet?" Emma asked.

"Yes. I had a dog named Jake. He was a very loyal dog and he would always give me this annoyed look. I loved that dog." Charming answered.

"Hm. I thought it would have been your horse." Emma said thoughtfully.

"I did have a favorite horse, or still do." Charming replied.

"You still have it?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, it's back home at the stables." Charming informed Emma.

"Interesting. I didn't realize that they came over with the curse." Emma replied.

Before Charming could reply, Emma asked excitedly, "I can I meet him? or her?"

"It's a him and yes, you can meet him." Charming answered with a smile.

"What's his name?" Emma asked.

"Phillip." Charming answered. "But, I think it is my turn to ask a question. What was your favorite subject in school?"

"I would say English, but not the grammar part. I liked reading the stories. It gave me a way to escape life for a little while. I liked history too because of the stories, but it depended on what era we were studying." Emma answered. "How did you go to school?" Emma asked wondering what it was like to go to school in the Enchanted Forest.

"Well my mother taught me till we got a school in our town." Charming answered with a smile.

"Wait so you went to a one-room schoolhouse like in Little House on the Prairie?" Emma said in awe.

"What? What's that?" Charming asked obviously confused.

"It is a TV show and they had a one-room schoolhouse. You really need to catch up on you TV knowledge – at least the basics. You think after living in the real world you would know what Little House is." Emma started to ramble.

"Hey, I was in a coma for the majority of the time while I was there. I wasn't watching any TV. I didn't even know about TVs." Charming explained.

"Yeah, Yeah. Excuses, excuses." Emma laughed. "My turn again!"

"Uh no. It's my turn." Charming said with a grin. "How did you do in school?"

Emma hesitated, which didn't go unnoticed. "I was an average student. I probably would have done better if I applied myself more. It also depended on the subject. I tried to keep my grades average because most foster parents did not like it if they had to come in for a meeting because your grades were low. I learned that the hard way when I was in second grade. I tried not to get into trouble, but there were times that I couldn't control my temper. When I was in 7th grade, I got into trouble in gym. I hated gym class, but that was because I was a bit uncoordinated. Anyway, the other kids would normally make fun of me because of how bad I was in gym, but I normally would just ignore it. One day we were playing soccer which I wasn't too terrible at and one of the girls started teasing me about the way I was playing. Then she started to talk to me about who she believed my parents were and how I was an orphan. I normally would have just ignored her, but I wanted to believe that you guys were good. So I punched her twice before the gym teacher came over to stop me. Then she brought us to the principal office and called my foster parents who were not very pleased to be getting a call from the school. They were furious with me when they realized that I was suspended from school for a week. They made me stay in my room the whole week so that they didn't have to see me or deal with me." Emma finished, not realizing that she just spilled her guts to her father.

"Were there any other foster kids with that foster family?" Charming asked slowly hoping that Emma wouldn't put up a wall.

"I had a foster-brother who was in 10th grade named John. Then they had a son of their own that was in 11th grade named Anthony and he picked on me all the time. John tried to stand up for me, but it normally just got him in trouble so he stopped trying after a while. It wasn't worth it."

"If it was me, it would have been worth it." Charming said. He liked that she had someone to look out for her there, but he didn't like that he stopped trying to protect her. She was worth any trouble if it meant keeping her safe.

"You don't understand. It wasn't worth it because our foster dad would beat him. I told him that it wasn't worth it, I wasn't worth that trouble. Normally, we would both get in trouble anyway when he would try to help me. At least I would be the only one the got in trouble." Emma replied seriously.

"It would have been worth it to me and I am sure it was worth it to him." Charming said softly.

"That's because you are my dad, but I could handle it. I didn't need him to stick up for me." Emma said confidently.

"So tough." Charming said with a chuckle, even though it made him sad that at so young she had to be so tough.

"I had to be tough. I learned not to cry when I got beat because it normally made it worse." Emma said, but then felt her father tense behind her. "Anyway, I wasn't worth it."

Charming hated the thought of any one touching, let alone hurting his baby girl. He also didn't like that Emma didn't feel like she was worth the trouble to protect. She was worth any trouble if it meant keeping her safe and sound. He held his girl a little tighter as he felt the need to keep her safe, even though no one was trying to hurt her at the moment.

"Emma, I am sorry you went through that. You didn't deserve to be treated that way. And Emma, you are worth any kind of trouble." Charming said softly.

Emma sat up and turned to face her father. "It's not your fault. You couldn't have done anything about it." Emma said, not wanting her father to blame himself for things that were out of his control.

"I know, but I am never going to like the idea of anyone hurting my girl. And I will never put up with it from anyone." Charming replied seriously as he cupped Emma's chin in his hand.

Emma quickly wiped a tear from her face before she unexpectedly hugged him surprising herself and him. "Thank you." Emma said softly into his shirt.

"No need for thanks, kiddo. I will always love you." Charming said as he held Emma to his chest with one hand cradling her head, like he always did.

Charming held Emma in the hug for a little while longer, both of them enjoying the comfort of each other. After the silence, Emma felt her exhaustion and her searing headache come back in full force.

After another moment, Emma pulled out of the hug and settled back against her father. "Can we be done with question game? Maybe you could just tell me a story?" Emma asked shyly.

"Yeah, that would be fine. What story do you want to hear?" Charming asked with a smile, but then felt Emma's forehead, which to his relief was only a touch warm. He was pretty certain that Emma did not have a concussion so if she fell asleep it would be okay.

"Can you tell me about what it was like to go to school in the Enchanted Forest?' Emma asked with a hint of excitement in her voice.

Charming grinned. He thought it was cute that she was so interested in what it was like for him to go to school, but it also made him feel old for some reason. "Sure, but why does this make me feel old?" Charming asked with a grimace.

"Um because you are old. You went to a one-room schoolhouse, in the real world you are really old if you were around to go to those kinds of schools." Emma said as she laughed, but then stopped when it caused her head to hurt more. She winced and put her hand to her head.

"I am not that old." Charming reached over and grabbed the cloth out of the bowl of water and put it over Emma's forehead to help with her headache.

"You have a 30-year-old daughter and how old were you when the curse hit?" Emma asked. She was touched that her father knew exactly what she needed.

"28." Charming answered.

"So technically you are 58. Yeah, that's old." Emma figured out with a chuckle.

"That's not fair. I was in a coma for half of my life." Charming said with a chuckle.

Emma just laughed, but then yawned.

"Okay. So you want to hear about school in the Enchanted Forest? There was about 15 to 20 kids in the school varying from age 5 to 15. I was 9 years old when the school opened. We didn't have a lot of school supplies, but over the years the school received more books and supplies. Although, I wasn't the worst student I tended to daydream a lot in class if I wasn't causing trouble with my friends. I liked being outside more than I liked being inside. There was a few times that I skipped school with one of my buddies to go fishing. Sometimes we would get away with it, but there was a few times where the teacher happened to run into one or both of our mothers in town. Those weren't the happiest nights." Charming reminisced.

"I ditched school or a couple of classes a lot when I was in school." Emma admitted.

"Emma." Charming scolded.

"What? It was okay for you to skip school and not me?" Emma asked.

"I never said it was okay, just that I did it." Charming said with a chuckle.

Emma rolled her eyes, but then began to wonder if her mother ever skipped school. "Did mom ever skip school?"

"Well, she didn't go to a school like I did. She had a personal tutor so skipping her classes would have been very noticeable. Although, I wouldn't put it past your mother to have skipped her classes to go out in the woods to shoot her bow and arrows, but you will have to ask her about it when we get home." Charming said with a grin at the memory of Snow.

"So both of my parents were homeschooled at some point or another." Emma stated with a chuckle.

Charming wasn't sure why Emma thought that was so interesting, but he like it when she admitted that they were her parents. "Anyway, there was this one time when our teacher had to go take care of her mother in another town so we had a substitute for over a month. His name was Mr. Kraut, which we later name Mr. Sauerkraut. He was a really mean teacher and after a week of enduring Mr. Sauerkraut some of the boys and I decided to get revenge. We started pranking him everyday. Each of us picked a day that we would prank him on and we picked out pranks we wanted to do. One day one of the boys put ink in his satchel so that when he reached into the bag to get our graded papers, his hands would be covered in ink. He asked us who did it and none of us admitted who it was so he just picked someone he thought it was to punish. It wasn't the actually person that did it, but it was one of the boys from our group so we let him take the fall. Another day, one of the boys put tacks on his chair and boy was he mad. He always would pick the wrong person to punish for the prank, but it was really funny to see who would get in trouble from our group for the prank they didn't actually do." Charming said with a chuckle.

"Did you ever get blamed for a prank that you didn't do?" Emma asked, but then yawned towards the end of her question.

"Yeah. One of the boys drew a picture of Mr. Kraut on the chalkboard with Mr. Sauerkraut written next to it. For some reason, he was convinced that I drew the picture, but I think it was because I didn't realize what the prank was until I got to school and saw it on the chalkboard. I was laughing pretty hard and he knew I could draw some."

"Did your parents every find out what you guys were doing?" Emma asked.

"Yes. He would send a note home to the parents of the one he thought did the prank. It became a game to us to see who would get in trouble for someone else prank, but we all took it because we all did a prank at one point or another." Charming replied.

"Did you do a prank?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, I did two different pranks. I got to school really early and put a snake, a harmless snake, in his desk drawer, which my friend got in trouble for which was hilarious to me. The other was a different story, yet really funny and totally worth it." Charming said as he laughed from the memory.

"What? What did you do?" Emma asked curiously, but her voice sounded tired which didn't go unnoticed by her father.

"I was able to catch a skunk and I let it loose in the schoolhouse which was a big risk considering it could have sprayed us all. I let it loose during recess and I tied it to the leg of the teacher's chair. It was a miracle that I didn't get sprayed by it. Anyway, luckily the skunk did spray Mr. Sauerkraut, but then it went downhill from that. He blamed one of the younger boys who was not involved in our pranks and Mr. Sauerkraut was furious. I couldn't let the little boy get in trouble for something I did so I admitted it was me and took the punishment for it. My mother was furious when she got the letter home that night and this time I didn't have the excuse that I actually didn't do the prank because this time it was me." Charming chuckled again. "Anyway after about a week and half of pranks, Mr. Crout happened to overhear us discussing what our next prank would be. He called a meeting with the parents of the students who had been involved in the pranks at school. It was decided that we would have to come to school on the next two Saturdays to write lines for the whole morning and then of course we all had punishments given to us by our parents." Charming finished quietly thinking Emma was probably asleep.

"What did you have to write?" Emma asked through a yawn in a really tired voice.

"I had to write 'I will not bring snakes or skunks to school. I will not prank my teacher.' We all had the last sentence, but depending on what we did we had something different. They were long Saturday mornings that we could have been fishing, but we were stuck writing lines in a stuffy school. Although, I absolutely hated writing lines, being confined to the farm, and doing extra chores I never regretted pulling the pranks with my friends not that I would have ever admitted that to my mother." Charming continued to talk, but kept his voice low so that Emma would fall asleep. "You will have to ask your mother what it was like being 'homeschooled,' I am sure she would love to tell you when we get home." Charming paused waiting to see if Emma was still awake when he didn't hear a response he smiled softly.

Charming looked down to see that Emma was indeed asleep. He kissed the top of her head before he gently lifted her up so that he could slide out from behind her so that he could lie her down on the bed. She must have been sleeping soundly because she didn't wake at all. Charming made sure his daughter was covered by the blankets before he kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, baby girl."

**Please Review! **

**P.S. Hope this tide you over for the new episode of ONCE coming on tonight! :) Couple of hours to go! **


	8. Safe

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 8! Sorry this has taken awhile to get out to you! Life has been busy, but I have a couple of chapters that will be coming out close together (possible all this weekend!) Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favs! Enjoy! :) **

**Safe **

The first thing Snow wanted to do was figure out how to go back to that fiery room in the hopes that Charming would be there as well. It may be a long shot, but right now she couldn't think of any other option in helping her family get home. She thought of her options of those who could help her to go into a deep enough sleep. Regina, even though their relationship was better than it use to be, for some reason she didn't really care for Regina to be the one to put her back in the fiery room. Rumple, who was indeed family still gave her the creeps. The Blue Fairy, who out of the three would be the safest option, but she may not have the resources to help.

Snow decided to try the Blue Fairy first and if she couldn't help then she would move on to either Rumple or Regina. Although, Snow wanted to go to the Blue Fairy at once, she still had Leo and Henry to think of. Henry should be waking up soon to head to school. Snow had kept him home for the last two days, but since nothing had happened since King George managed to send David and Emma through a portal, Snow thought it was safe for Henry to return to school. Snow, however, was taking extra precautions in driving Henry to and from school. After dropping Henry off at school, she would be able to see the Blue Fairy. She felt comfortable enough bringing Leo with her.

"Good morning, Henry." Snow said with a genuine smile on her face as she saw her grandson starting to come down the stairs. Her smile soon turned into a frown when she saw how slow he walking down the stairs, which was rather unusually for him. Normally, he was in such a rush coming down the stairs that it almost would give Snow a heart attack.

"Morning." Henry said quietly as he made his way down the stairs.

"What's wrong, Henry?" Snow asked as she met Henry at the bottom of the stairs, automatically feeling his forehead for a fever.

"I didn't sleep very well last night." Henry said with frown on his face.

Snow was relieved that Henry wasn't sick, but she was worried at what might have kept him up. He looked exhausted and Snow wondered if she should keep him home from school again. She did believe that school was important, but Henry looked like he could fall asleep standing up. "Henry, why did you have trouble sleeping?" Snow asked hoping to get at the root of the problem. She was pretty sure she knew the answer to her question.

Henry looked down and Snow saw a tear slide down his cheek. "I miss my mom and I am worried about her. I couldn't stop thinking about where they are and the trouble they could be in. What if they don't find a way back or if we don't find a way to get them back? What if this time we don't find each other?" Henry said in a voice full of emotion.

Snow heart broke at the sight of her grandson with tears streaming down his face, full of worry and despair. Most of all, what shook her was that he was losing hope that they would find each other again. Henry was the one that reminded her the day before that there was always hope and that they would find each other like they always did.

Snow kneeled down in front of Henry, taking both of his hands in hers. "Henry, we will find each other again. This time will be no different from the other times we have had to find each other. We succeed then and we will again, but Henry, we have to have hope and faith in each other." Snow said softly as she looked into Henry's tear-filled eyes.

Henry nodded feeling silly for doubting their family's faith, but then remembered what his Grandpa said when he was about to willingly go under the sleeping curse. "When Grandpa was about to go under the sleeping curse, I was scared. I hugged him and he told me everything was going to be alright. I asked him how he knew that and he asked me a question. He asked me how I knew Emma would save me after I ate the turnover. I said that I believed in her. He said that is the way you guys knew Emma would come back to break the curse. He said that is the kind of faith that runs in our family. He was right then and I guess it will be true for this time too." Henry said with a huge grin on his face.

Snow nodded with a grin as she pulled Henry into a hug. It sounded like something her Charming would have said. He always proclaimed that he wasn't good with words, but he always managed to say exactly the right things at the right moment. She missed him and really hoped that they could find a way for them to get home soon. "It will Henry. We will be back together in no time. Anyway, I have an idea of how we can get in touch with them." Snow began.

Henry pulled away from Snow. "How?" Henry asked.

"The fiery room. It may be a long shot, but I'm willing to try it." Snow replied.

"I can't believe I didn't think of that! That's a great idea!" Henry exclaimed. "How are you going to go back there?"

"I am going to ask the blue fairy if she can put me in a deep sleep, but you need to head back to bed. I am not sending you to school today half asleep." Snow replied with a worried expression on her face.

"Oh Grams, I can go to school." Henry said, but then a yawn escaped his lips. He really was exhausted. He hadn't slept well since his mom and grandpa got thrown in a portal.

"I don't think it would be good to have you fallen asleep in class." Snow said with a smirk.

"I guess that's true." Henry agreed reluctantly.

"Why don't I make you some breakfast before you head back to bed?" Snow asked.

"That sounds amazing!" Henry replied with a grin. "Can we have chocolate chip pancakes? Like Gramps makes?"

"I'm not sure if they will be as good as his, but we can try!" Snow replied with a grin.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

After pancakes, Snow let Henry watch a movie instead of heading back to bed. Snow wanted to go find the Blue Fairy, but she felt like Henry needed her there for now. Henry fell asleep during the movie, which wasn't a surprise to Snow. She was able to get Ruby to come over to watch Leo and Henry while she went to go talk to the Blue Fairy. Normally, Henry would be old enough to stay home alone, but not when King George was still loose. Snow wasn't going to take any chances with Henry or Leo.

The Blue Fairy said she would be able to help, but they agreed that it would be better to do it at night when she had a chance at meeting Charming in the fiery room. They weren't sure if it would actually work because he only was going there every once in a while if he was really tired.

The Blue Fairy was suppose to come around 9:30 when Henry would be already in bed and hopefully it would be late enough to catch Charming in the fiery room.

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

Snow went and answered the door. "Thank you for coming, Blue." Snow said as she ushered the Blue Fairy inside.

"Your welcome, Snow. Now, when I put you to sleep it will be for a couple of hours, but it won't seem as long to you. Hopefully, David will be in there when you get in there." Blue explained.

Snow nodded. "Would you like some tea or hot chocolate before we do this?" Snow asked wanting to wait a little while longer so she would have a better chance of catching Charming in the fiery room.

"Some tea would be great." Blue responded.

Snow and Blue talked for the next half and hour while Blue drank her tea and Snow drank her hot chocolate.

"Should we get started?" Blue asked when she saw that it was ten o-clock.

"Yes, we should." Snow said with a hint of nervous in her tone. She really wanted this to work. She knew part of the reason she wanted to see him was just to be able to talk to him. She missed him so much and need his reassurance that they would find each other again.

Blue put Snow to sleep and stayed with her while she slept. She really hoped that this would work for the sake of her friend. She continued to stay with her throughout the night to make sure she was alright.

*****NETHERWORLD-FIERY ROOM*****

It was just like she remembered. Red curtains and fire all around her, yet she wasn't concentrating on the fire. She was searching the room hoping by some chance her Charming was there. "Charming." Snow yelled.

It seemed like an eternity that she continued to look for her husband, but soon she gave up thinking that tonight wasn't a night that his mind was going to the fiery room.

"Snow?" Charming said in disbelief.

"Charming!" Snow said as she turned around to see her husband a couple of feet behind her. Fire stood in between them keeping them from coming closer to each other.

"You found me." Charming said with a grin. He wasn't expecting to see his wife tonight.

"Of course. Are you and Emma okay?" Snow asked with a voice filled with worry.

"We are both fine. Emma has had a few problems along the way, but she is going to be okay." Charming tried to explain without panicking his wife, but he could tell he didn't do the best job from the alarmed look on her face.

"What do you mean she is going to be fine? What happen?" Snow asked as she panicked thinking that her daughter had needed her.

"Well she got attacked by one of the followers of the wicked witch and ended up getting a cut, which got infected. Thankfully I remembered what you taught me about herbs and I was able to get her better. She still is recovering and would have been fine by now, but a guy named Richard, from the village we were staying at with some of Robin Hood's men, tried to get her to go with him to go slay a dragon." Charming explained.

"Wait, so is she okay?" Snow asked as she took in all of the information about her daughter feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Yes. She is sleeping and should be fine by the morning. She just got knocked in the head, but she doesn't have a concussion or anything." Charming said with a grin.

"Good. Have you found a way to get home yet?" Snow asked feeling a little more relieved to hear the Emma was indeed okay.

"We do have lead. There is supposedly a dragon with a ring that is supposed to be able to open into a portal. Tomorrow, we are going to our castle to get supplies and then the following day we are going to go see if this dragon exists." Charming replied hopefully.

"That sounds hopeful, but I don't like the idea of Emma battling another dragon." Snow admitted with a frown.

"I don't like it either, but it's Emma we are talking about it. I doubt I could keep her from helping me." Charming said with a chuckle. "Has King George tried to bother you or the kids?" Charming asked a little more seriously.

"No, Neal and his father have been searching for him, but there has been no sign of him since you guys went through the portal." Snow replied with a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Good, but I want you to be careful. I don't trust that man." Charming said.

"I am being careful. Don't worry about us, just make sure my daughter doesn't get another scratch on her. I can't believe she is with you for three days and she has already been attacked twice." Snow said as she shook her head in disbelief.

"It's not my fault that these men keep attacking my daughter." Charming said with a mock-offended tone.

Snow laughed, but then realized their time was limited and they had been talking for a while. "I am not sure how long I will be in here, Blue put me to sleep so I would be able to come in here. If you don't find the ring or something happens that prevents you from coming home, let's meet in here again." Snow said wanting to keep contact with her husband in case they needed help coming home.

"I'll try my best. I don't have this dream every night, but if I need to I'll have Emma knock me out." Charming said with a chuckle.

Snow grinned. "Hopefully, Neal and Rumple will find King George soon. We might be able to see how he got that magic bean and if there is any other ones." Snow said.

"That's a good idea, just be careful around him, Snow." Charming said with a hint of worry in his voice.

"I will, Charming. I miss you." Snow said with a sad expression.

"I miss you more." Charming said as he managed to come closer to Snow.

"I don't think that's possible." Snow replied with a teasing grin.

Charming gave his most 'charming' smile before he asked, "How is Leo and Henry?"

"They are both fine. I let Henry stay home from school today because he hasn't been sleeping well since you two left. But he has been a great help to me with Leo and he is turning into a little you with keeping the faith that we will always find each other. He is an amazing young man." Snow said with pride glowing from her eyes.

"That's our grandson. I remember he kept encouraging me when you two were in the Enchanted Forest. He is definitely a Charming." Charming said with a wink, but his voice with saturated with pride. "Snow, you are waking up." Charming said as he saw his wife start to disappear.

"I don't want to go yet." Snow said.

"I know, but we will be together soon. I have faith." Charming said with confidence.

"I do too. Take care of our daughter." Snow replied quickly as she disappeared a little more.

"Take care of our son and grandson." Charming replied.

"I love you, Charming." Snow said with her voice thick with emotion.

"I love you too, Snow." Charming said with an equal amount of emotion as his wife disappeared altogether. Charming looked down feeling a mixture of feelings about seeing his wife again. Happiness for being able to see her. Sadness to have to say goodbye again without knowing for sure if they would be able to get back to each other. But then part of him felt reassured that with their family's faith they would be together again whether that was in a few days or a few weeks. They would be together once again because there family found each other no matter what their circumstance happened to be.

*****ENCHANTEDFOREST*****

Charming eyes blinked open to a dark cabin and then realized that he had just had a conversation with his wife. He smiled as he remembered every detail of his wife and their conversation. He didn't like having to say goodbye, but it made him more determined to get back to her. After a few moments of thinking of his wife, he got up quietly. It was too early to actually get up, but since he was awake, he wanted to make sure Emma was still doing okay.

He walked across the room to where Emma was sleeping. She was still sleeping soundly as he gently felt her forehead, which to his relief was cool to the touch. As Charming looked as his sleeping daughter, he couldn't help, but be in awe of how beautiful she was and how young she looked as she slept. He gently moved a piece of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Then he gently adjusted the blanket so that blanket was tucked under her chin. When he was satisfied that Emma was okay, he walked back over to his bed.

He felt content knowing that his family was safe even if they were apart and he was confident that soon they would be safe and together. He fell asleep as he thought of his family and how proud he was to have each and every one of them in his family.

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**Next Chapter will be up soon! :)**


	9. Castle

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 9! Told you it would be soon! My sister is currently in Poland and she just sent me pictures of a castle she went to. I love castles! :) Hope you like it! :) Let me know what you think thus far! Enjoy! :) **

**Castle **

Snow woke up feeling relaxed, yet somewhat sad. As she opened her eyes, she remembered that she had just seen her husband and had a pretty good conversation with him. They had a lead on a possible way home and although, things could go wrong, Snow was hopeful that it would work. The only reason she was sad was because she had to leave him again.

"I was wondering when you would wake up." Blue said as she realized her friend was finally awake again.

"Yeah, I saw him. He and Emma had a possible way home." Snow told Blue about the dragon and the ring as she sat up in bed. "What time is it?" Snow asked wondering how long she was asleep.

"It's 1:15am. You were asleep for a couple of hours." Blue said quietly. "I probably should head out. I am glad that it worked and I hope that they get the ring."

"Thanks for everything, Blue. I'll walk you out." Snow said as she started to get out of bed.

"It's alright, I can see myself out. You still look tired." Blue said gently.

"Ok, thanks Blue." Snow said sincerely and once Blue had left she laid back down.

Her family was safe and would be together once again. She felt more relaxed then she had felt in a long time. She drifted off to sleep thinking of the reunion they would have once her daughter and husband returned.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

Emma slowly woke up, feeling confused about where she was. The bed felt weird, nothing like her bed at home. She could feel the sun shining on her face and wondered how late she would be to work. She had to of slept in, maybe she fell asleep on the couch again. Although, it didn't feel like the couch, it was more comfortable than the couch. She couldn't put it off any longer, her dad was probably already at the station. She slowly opened her eyes and murmured, "oh yeah." Then she shut her eyes again with a groan.

Charming had seen that Emma was waking up and was wondering what was going through her head as she slowly began to wake up. She had moved her head slowly back and forth and shifted in bed for the last 10 minutes. "What are you 'oh yeahing' to?" Charming said with a chuckle.

Emma opened her eyes again and looked around to find where David was in the cabin. "I forgot we were here." Emma said sheepishly as she sat up in the bed. She still felt a little tired, but was feeling so much better than the day before.

Charming chuckled to himself. "Well hopefully after we get this ring we will be home again." Charming said confidently.

Emma looked skeptically at her father wondering why he looked so confident. Not that he wasn't normally full of faith that they would find their family, but today he seemed relaxed unlike the days before. "Why are you so…confident? Did something happen when I was asleep?" Emma asked, truly curious at why her father seemed so relaxed.

"As a matter of fact something did happen. I must have slept really hard last night because I went to the fiery room in my dreams. And you will never guess who was there?" Charming said with a smile.

"Well it could only be two other people and my guess would be your wife." Emma said as she put the pieces together. He had a cheesy smile on that meant he was thinking about his wife that he was head over heels for.

"Yes, it was Snow. I told her our plans and we are planning on meeting again in the fiery room if for some reason we aren't able to get the ring, but I am pretty confident that we will get it." Charming informed Emma.

Emma nodded. She wished she could have the same confidence as her father had, but her past experiences had made her skeptical. "Are they okay?" Emma asked.

"Yes, they all are. They just miss us." Charming reassured his daughter.

Emma faced relaxed as she heard her father's answer. She was worried that King George may have tried something after they went through the portal. "You didn't tell her about all this did you?" Emma asked referring to her injuries.

"I tried to keep it from her, but she ended up pulling it out of me." Charming admitted.

"Oh dear." Emma said with a smile at the thought of her mother freaking about her being injured and sick.

"I told her that you were alright now, but I think she may kill me if you get injured again." Charming said with a chuckle.

Emma rolled her eyes. "What? Did she threaten you?" Emma asked, just imagining what her mother's reaction to her being hurt would have been. Also the thought of her parents talking about her made her feel slightly uncomfortable, but yet it was very parent-like thing for them to do.

"Pretty much….maybe you shouldn't help me with the dragon…" Charming said half-joking and half serious.

Emma could tell that he was somewhat serious. "Uh, I am helping. We have a better chance of getting the ring if we work together." Emma argued. She really was excited about fighting a dragon along side her dad.

Charming could see that Emma was actually excited about fighting the dragon and couldn't help, but feel proud of her. He could also tell that she wasn't going to back down from a fight. He didn't really like the idea of her fighting a dragon, but he did like the idea of sharing the experience with his daughter. He would be there to protect her if she needed it. "Ok. Ok." Charming relented with a chuckle. "Well if we are going to be heading out today, we better get ready." Charming stated.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

Emma felt gross after being sick and stuck in the Enchanted Forest without the luxury of showers. She was glad that David had thought ahead to fix her a bath the 'old fashion way' as Emma called it. He even heated up water so it wouldn't be cold. She was impressed. Although, she preferred showers to old fashion baths, she did feel so much better after it.

About an hour later, Emma and Charming were just about ready to leave for their castle. All there was left to do was to say goodbye to the Merry men.

"Are you feeling okay?' Charming asked as they walked to the Merry men.

"Yes, I'm fine." Emma snapped back.

Charming gave her disapproving look, without even thinking about it, because of the tone of her voice.

Emma gulped and looked straight ahead at the men they were approaching.

"Are you heading out?" Adam asked as he saw David and his daughter, Emma, coming up to them.

"Yes, we were just coming to say goodbye and thank you for letting us stay with you and your men." Charming replied in a friendly tone.

"It was our pleasure." Adam replied then turned to look at Emma. "I hope you are feeling better. I am sorry that Richard got to you." Adam said apologetically.

"I am and it was nothing I couldn't handle." Emma replied a bit defensively. She didn't like to be thought of a damsel in distress. She could take care of herself, thank you very much.

Charming tried to hide his smile at his daughter's stubbornness.

"Well, I am glad you are all right. We didn't find him so I would watch out for him in case he hasn't given up." Adam replied kindly.

"Thanks, we will." Charming answered.

"And we thought this would help your with your journey." Adam said as one of his men lead a horse to the group. "There is some supplies in the saddlebags as well."

"Thanks. That is really kind of you." Charming replied as he took the reins of the horse. It would definitely help if they both had a horse to ride, but he wasn't sure how Emma would feel about riding by herself.

"It is no problem." Adam replied.

"Well we should be going, thanks again for everything." Charming said kindly.

Adam nodded with a smile.

Charming and Emma went back to where their other horse was tied up. Emma looked hesitant as they got closer to the horse. She wasn't sure about riding alone.

"Are you ready?" Charming asked seeing that Emma looked a little worried as they came to the other horse.

Emma nodded, not wanting to show her true feelings.

"Here, I'll help you up." Charming said as he gently guided Emma over to the new horse.

Charming helped her up and then patted her knee. "Just remember what I taught you the other day. You can do it and we don't have to go fast." Charming said in a kind tone.

Emma nodded again faking a little bit of confidence that she didn't have at the moment.

Charming could see through Emma's façade, but didn't point it out. He instead gave her a soft smile before turning to get on the other horse. "Ready?" Charming asked as he looked over at Emma.

"Yes." Emma said. She was ready to get on with this journey and get back to their family.

Charming and Emma set off on their way to Snow and Charming's old castle. Slowly at first, but as Emma got more comfortable with the horse they went a little faster. She was actually a natural at riding horses and Charming could tell that she was enjoying it. She was just a little unsure about the horse still, but that was because she hadn't been around horses like she should have been.

After about two hours of riding, Emma was ready to be at the castle even though riding on the horse was fun and she even was getting use to it. The only problem was that it got to be a little comfortable after a while especially because she wasn't use to riding horses for long periods of times, let alone riding them at all. She was following her father who she could tell was a very skilled rider, which wasn't a surprise to her since he grew up around horses. Despite having a slight headache and being a little tired, Emma was feeling pretty good compared to the last two days. David, her father, had been so patient, for the most part, and caring with her. She wasn't exactly the best patient ever when she was sick or injured.

Emma was so lost in her thought that when a man jumped out of tree and tackled her dad off of his horse to the ground she was caught off guard and just barely screamed out, "DAVID!"

She sat stunned on her horse for a moment before jumping off and grabbing the sword that she just realized was on the horse. Emma started to run over to where her father was now fighting the man with his own sword, but when another man appeared that she recognized as Richard, she started to fight with him using her sword.

As Charming was fighting his man, he saw that Richard had come out of nowhere and was fighting his daughter. Emma was a scrappy kind of fighter. She had some natural skill with a blade, but she didn't always have the greatest form. She would also interchange using her sword with punching and kicking her opponent which would be amusing to him if this man wasn't trying to hurt or possible kidnap his daughter. He did have to give her credit for her fighting skills because she could definitely hold her own in a fight. He was proud to call her his daughter. He continued to fight his man until the man realized that Richard and him were going to lose this fight. He ran off after Charming managed to get one blow to his opponent.

"Richard, let's go!" The man yelled as he ran off into the woods.

As Richard heard his companion, he ran off leaving Emma alone. Charming ran over to Emma and looked her up and down to make sure she was okay.

"Are you okay?" Charming asked after he didn't see any injuries.

"Yeah, are you?" Emma asked, a little out of breath from her fight.

"Yeah. Looks like Richard has a partner in crime." Charming said as he looked towards where the pair had ran into the forest.

Emma nodded. "Hopefully they don't try again." Emma said thoughtfully, but thought they probably hadn't seen the last of Richard and his friend.

"Hopefully, but we better keep a look out for them anyway." Charming said as he lightly touched Emma's arm. "Let's get going again. We have about an hour left of riding. Are you sure you are okay?"

"Yes. I am fine." Emma said a little annoyed at her father's worry.

Charming narrowed his eyes slightly at Emma's response trying to gage whether she was telling the truth. Besides looking tired, she seemed okay so he let it go. Charming nodded his head before heading back to his horse.

Emma put her sword back in the sheath and climbed back on the horse.

Charming waited for Emma to ride her horse beside his horse before they continued on their way. He was going to keep watch on her in case Richard and his friend tried to come after them again.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

"There it is." Charming said as he looked at the castle as he slowed down to let Emma catch up with him. "I actually didn't live here very long, but it was home. But then again anywhere with your mother is home to me." Charming said fondly as he looked at the castle longingly. He missed living in the Enchanted Forest and he missed all the dreams that he had hoped for his family.

"What are we waiting for?" Emma asked with a small grin. She knew that her father was excited to see the castle and a small part of her was excited as well. What girl didn't dream of living in a castle at one point or another? While Mary Margaret and David had been back in the Enchanted Forest they had actually been living at Regina's castle because it hadn't been affected by the curse. Emma had seen what the castle had looked like after the curse and it was pretty bad.

They continued to ride towards the castle as the sun was starting to set which made the view look beautiful. The sky behind the castle was lovely shades of orange, yellow, and pink. As they got closer, Emma began to think about what her father said about his home always being where Snow was. She never really thought about home being where a person was, but she always just thought of it as a building where she slept and ate. How does one really define home? Emma wasn't sure, but it sounded like her father defined home differently than she ever had thought of it to be.

Charming rode his horse around the castle to the back where the stables were located. He jumped off his horse and grabbed the reins before looking back at Emma who just got down from her horse. She seemed like she was lost in thought and he wondered what she was thinking about.

Emma walked her horse up beside Charming's horse. Charming handed Emma his reins before he went to open the door to the stables. Charming looked around the stables to notice that it was pretty much the same as before besides that it had been unused for the last 30 years. He turned back around and grabbed both of the reins of the horses from Emma. He led the horses into stalls and then showed Emma how you properly take care of your horse.

Emma grinned slowly as her dad started to explain everything a horse rider should do for their steed. He was in his teaching/Dad mode where he explained things in great length. After a good amount of time, she was beginning to wonder when this lesson would be over for the night. She was exhausted and they hadn't even gotten into the castle yet.

After Charming found some food for the horses and he turned to Emma. "I think that should do it. Now, let's head inside." Charming said as he directed Emma by placing his hand at the small of Emma's back.

"Yes." Emma said with a relieved smile.

Charming directed her to a door in the back of building. He handed her the sword that she had used, she hadn't even realized that he had grabbed it before they left the stables. His sword was at his side like it normally was. Charming opened the door. "This was the servant entrance, but we used it as much as they did." Charming said as they walked into the castle.

They walked down a hallway that leads into the kitchen. Emma could definitely get lost in a place like this if she was on her own. She continued to walk with her father as he directed her through the castle commenting on things every once in a while as he went through the different rooms on the main floor. "The stairs are just over here." Charming informed Emma.

_Ugh, Stairs. _Emma thought, just the thing she wanted after riding on a horse for a couple of hours. She remembered these stairs from when she was here before. There were a million of them. She thought they would never reach the top as she made her legs climb up them. As they trudged up the stairs, Emma asked, "So when you were here last year, did you guys make it over here?" Emma knew that they didn't stay at this castle, but they stayed at Regina's castle instead.

"We came once after we got settled at Regina's and before we started having too much trouble with Zelena. It was a little after your mother told me about being pregnant. I wanted to see it again and see if it could be rebuilt. We both loved this castle and although Regina's castle was nice, we preferred this one. Unfortunately, we only came that once because Zelena and her flying monkeys were tormenting everyone and things were starting to get worse." Charming answered with a grimace.

"Were you guys going to rebuild it?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, we decided that it would be worth it and after looking at it we realized that the whole castle wasn't affected. It would have taken a lot of work, but at least it wasn't as bad as we had originally believed." Charming said.

Emma nodded her head slowly as she thought about what her father was telling her. They were wanting to live in this castle again with her brother. She wasn't sure exactly how she felt about that yet. Possibly, a little left out considering she was in the real world at the time not that they could have helped that.

Emma continued to walk with her father through a maze of hallways that were upstairs and she wondered how in the world they remembered where everything was. She wasn't sure where he was leading them, but when it became a little more familiar she began to have an idea of where they might be going.

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**(I have the next chapter almost ready, so let me know if you want me to put it up today…the more reviews=the better chance I'll get it done today :) Hint Hint)**


	10. Insecurities

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 10! I wrote this chapter about two months ago when I just found out I was being transferred to a different school so it may be a little angsty, but I really like it anyway. I tweaked it a little to fit better in the story. Are you guys ready for Once tonight?! I am! Thanks for all the reviews! Hope you like this chapter! Enjoy! :) **

**Insecurities**

Sure enough, Emma found herself in her old nursery that she never used. It looked like someone, probably her mother, had started to try to clean it up most likely when her parents had come the one time they were here the last time. The crib was no longer lying on its side on the floor, but standing up right. The toys were neatly arranged on the shelves and the floor was no longer cluttered with various objects. For some reason, this room made her feel vulnerable and emotional. The last time she was in here her mother and her had their first heart-to-heart as mother and daughter.

"It would be nice to bring your brother back here to grow up. He could grow up running through the hallways of the castle, having a kingdom to adore him, and a mother and father to always be there for him. I could teach him how to sword fight and ride a horse. Snow could teach him how to dance for balls and even how to shoot a bow if he wanted. He could have everything here." Charming said with excitement as he looked at the contents of Emma's nursery wishing that Emma could have had all that he wanted for his son.

Charming continued to talk about the many things they could do with Leo in the Enchanted Forest, Emma couldn't stand to hear it anymore and found herself slowly backing out of her nursery. It was like her father totally forgot about her and she couldn't breathe. She just needed to get out of there. She felt all the insecurities of being unwanted come back to her and it left her out of breath. She found herself running down the hallway almost against her will as if she was a little girl running from her problems instead of facing them. She runs into the only open door that she finds. She frantically looks for something to hide her because she knew she was close to breaking down. She saw a wardrobe against the wall and ran to it. A part of her realized that this was childish of her to be feeling this way, even selfish of her to be jealous of her brother. But the larger part, felt betrayed and hurt. She can't seem to breathe and her heart is racing. They may not need her, but she needs them.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

"I'm just so sorry that you never got to grow up here or even grow up with us." Charming said with a lot of emotion in his voice and then he turns to where he thought Emma was. "Emma?" Charming said as he realized Emma was no longer in the room and started to panic_. Did someone take her? Is she okay? Or is it because I was talking about her brother? What have I done?_ Charming knew something was wrong and he needed to find his daughter. He rushed out of the room and looked down the hallway for any sight of his daughter. Maybe it was his father's instinct in him that knew that she wasn't in danger, but he also knew his daughter was upset.

"Emma!" Charming called frantically.

Just after he called he heard what sounded like a muffled cry. He rushed into what use to be his and Snow's room and looked around to see it was empty. "Emma?" Charming called. Then he looked over at the wardrobe that stood in the room and went to open it.

What he saw broke his heart. His daughter was sitting in the bottom of the wardrobe with her legs pulled to her chest. She was shaking with tears streaming down her face. It seemed like she was having a panic attack or an emotional breakdown.

"Emma, what's the matter?" Charming said gently. He couldn't help, but imagine a little Emma doing the same thing if she had grown up with them in the Enchanted Forest.

After she didn't respond he touched her shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. He wanted more than anything to pick her up in his arms and just hold her tight, but he resisted the urge. "Emma."

Emma realized that her father had found her and couldn't decide if she wanted to be angry with him, or embarrassed that he saw her like this, or if she would rather just hug him.

"Leave me alone. You guys don't need me, you have my brother now. You don't have to act like you care. I understand you don't want me anymore." Emma said in anger. The adult in her knew she was being irrational, but the little girl in her was having a hard time adjusting to sharing her parents that she just found and coming to the reality that she doesn't get a second chance like they do. They get to have the second chance at raising a child, but she will never get the second chance of growing up being raised by her parents.

Charming is stunned by Emma's outburst, how could she, after all this time think that they didn't want her or need her? "Emma Ruth Swan, you will never be replaced. You will always be loved. You will always be needed. And you will always be wanted. You are my little girl no matter how old you are." Charming said sternly, yet gently.

"It's not fair, you two get a second chance, but I can't ever have a second chance." Emma said in a soft, vulnerable voice that sounded so unlike the strong, adult woman he had come to know. This was more of a childlike voice that was hurting and felt betrayed.

"Yes, we do have a second chance at raising a child, but we will never get a second chance at raising you. We wanted to raise you and it hurts that we weren't able to. But you can never be replaced. Emma, don't you realize how special you are? You are apart of this family – a very essential part. Don't ever think that you are not apart of this family and not loved because you are very much apart of this family and very much-loved." Charming said softly as he put his hands on her shoulders.

Emma didn't have any fight left in her and the words her father had said touched her heart. "I guess I know that." Emma said in a whisper, still out of breath from her panic attack. She felt like something in her just took control and she couldn't stop the tears from coming.

"Good because it's all true, princess." Charming said, but then did what he had wanted to do right when he found her. He picked her up in his arms and held her tight. "I love you, Emma. I will always love you, Em." Then he kissed the top of her head and continued to hold her as she cried.

Emma's tears had stopped and her breathing had returned to normal. Charming knew from her breathing that she had fallen asleep, so he stood up with his daughter in his arms. He brought her over to the bed. He gently put her on the bed and then covered her with the blankets. He was going to go check the rest of the castle really quick to make sure they would be safe from any intruders, but Emma grabbed his hand.

"Please don't leave me." Emma said in a sleepy voice.

"I won't. I'm staying right here." Charming said as he got in to the bed beside Emma. As soon as he did she snuggled up to him, desperately needing his comfort. Charming was overjoyed that she was seeking comfort from him and was more than willing to comfort her as much as possible. He put his arm around her as he said, "I'm here, baby. You can sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up. I love you."

"Love you too, Dad." Emma mumbled.

Charming wasn't expecting an answer, but he was ecstatic that she loved him back. He figured she did, but Emma is not one to actually tell someone she loves them.

It didn't take long for Emma to fall back asleep. Charming was thinking about the events of the night. He chuckled softly at how Emma reacted just like he imagined she would have reacted if she was raised by them in the Enchanted Forest and they were expecting another child. He could imagine her running off and hiding like she did because she thought she was being replaced. He thought it was interesting that out of all the rooms she could have picked, it happened to be Snow's and his old room. He continued to think about Emma and how he imagined how she would have been as a little girl until he fell asleep as well.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

Emma could smell a familiar scent and automatically felt safe and comforted. She opened her eyes to see that she had slept with her head on her father's chest. It all started to come back to her, her panic attack and emotional breakdown that she had the previous night. _Crap. What was I thinking? _Although, Emma was embarrassed at her emotional breakdown, she was feeling a lot better than she had since she found out about her brother. She loved her brother, but it just hurt her to see him get everything she never got. She had been jealous, yet she still had wanted him to have everything. It was good to get everything out.

She should feel embarrassed that at age 30 she was snuggling up with her Dad, but it was too nice of a feeling to move away. He had his arm around her shoulders, which made her feel both safe and loved.

She drifted in and out of sleep because it wasn't yet morning.

Charming felt the sunshine from the window shining on his face as he slowly woke up. He opened his eyes to see that his daughter had moved again last night to rest her head on his chest. He also noticed that if it wasn't for another inch, he might have been on the floor. Emma was stretched out on the bed diagonally; she was no doubt a bed hog although she would deny it over and over.

He knew he should wake Emma, but he wanted to cherish the moment of having his daughter so close to him. She looked so relaxed and carefree as she slept soundly. This was, to his knowledge, the first time Emma had spent the night at this castle. A place that should have been her home, but never was her home because of the curse. It took 30 years for her to spend one night in her rightful home. He lightly kissed Emma's head before deciding that it was time that they both get up. They had a lot to do if they were going to get that ring and go home.

"Emma, honey. It's time to wake up." Charming said softly as he rubbed circles on her back.

Emma hadn't realized she had actually fell back asleep, but didn't feel like getting up at the moment. "Couple more minutes." Emma pleaded tiredly.

"Sorry, kiddo, we have work to do." Charming said with a chuckle.

Emma groaned, but didn't move. Charming for a second wondered if she had fallen back asleep, but then she sat up on her elbows so she could see her father. "I'm sorry." Emma whispered and then she looked down at the bed.

Charming sat up and leaned against the headboard. "Emma, look at me." Charming said as he put a finger under Emma's chin to lift her face. "You don't have to apologize for how you feel. And you can always talk to me or your mom about anything. We are here for you. We love you. I love you." Charming told her gently. He wiped a couple of tears away from her face before pulling her into a hug.

"Thank you." Emma said sincerely as tears continued to stream down her face from the love she could see in her father's eyes. She wasn't sure how she could have missed that the night before, but she knew now without a shadow of doubt that both of her parents truly loved her. She felt safe wrapped in her father's arms and she was content to just stay in his arms for at least a couple of moments.

"Anything for you, kid." Charming replied seriously. He held her for a few minutes as she regained her composure, rubbing circles on her back. "Now, it's time to get up. We need to prepare for our journey."

"Can we eat first?" Emma asked as she was still engulfed in his hug. She was hoping there was something around the castle for breakfast because she just realized that they didn't eat dinner last night.

"Yes, we can do that first." Charming chuckled at his daughter's hunger. He

Charming got out of the bed, but Emma wasn't quite ready to get up so she laid back down hoping her father wouldn't realize it.

"Emma! Get up." Charming shook his head as he saw his daughter closing her eyes then thought of a different tactic that would surely get her out of the bed. "You know whose room this was right?" Charming asked with a mischievous grin on his face as he grabbed his sword and put it around his waist.

"Whose?" Emma asked tiredly as she opened her eyes wondering why that would matter.

"Your mother's and my room. In fact, you, my dear, were conceived in that bed." Charming said matter-of-factly.

Emma jumped out of the bed. "Ah yuck. That's just gross." Emma said as she tried to shake off the weirdness of what she had just learned.

Charming couldn't help, but to laugh at his daughter's reaction.

"It's not funny!" Emma grumbled as she glared at her father.

"It got you out of bed." Charming said as he barely controlled his laughter. He grabbed Emma's sword that was lying on the floor next to the wardrobe.

"That's a mean trick…so that means it wasn't really your bed?" Emma asked hopefully.

"No, that was our bed and you…." Charming started.

'Ugh! I don't need to hear it again!" Emma practically yelled with a disgusted look on her face.

Charming chuckled at his daughter's interruption. He wrapped his arm around Emma and led her from the room. "Ok, let's go find some breakfast. How do tacos sound?" Charming teased.

"Ugh, seriously! You guys ruined tacos for me!" Emma whined in a high-pitched voice, which was so unlike her, but hilarious to her father.

Charming couldn't contain his laughter at her reaction.

Emma tried to glare at her father, but couldn't seem to stop the smile that was coming to her lips. He really did love her and want her. She was glad that he was able to break down her insecurities because this was so much better than being alone. She felt better than she had in a long time.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

After finding breakfast and then rummaging around for supplies for their journey to Seven Gales to face the dragon, Emma found herself looking at a bunch of metal armor that her father managed to find in the castle.

"We aren't actually going to wear that are we?" Emma asked, thinking that there was no way she was going to be wearing all that metal. She wouldn't be able to move in it.

"Yes, it is protective gear." Charming said as he was trying to make sure that they had everything they would need. He actually wasn't planning on wearing it, but he wanted Emma to wear it.

"I didn't wear anything like that when I slayed the dragon in Storybrooke and I was fine." Emma stated.

"Well, you shouldn't have had to fight a dragon in the first place." Charming said. He didn't appreciate that Gold had convinced his daughter that she had to fight a dragon to save Henry when Gold knew she wouldn't need the bottled true love.

"Well I did and I was fine without any of that." Emma said as she pointed to the armor. "I am not wearing it." Emma said defiantly as she crossed her arms.

Charming narrowed his eyes and put his hands on his hips as he looked at his daughter. "Why not?" Charming asked in a patient tone with a hint of frustration.

"I won't be able to move in it." Emma said seriously then looked down at the pile of armor, which she realized was only enough for one person to wear. Then it dawned on her. Either he wasn't planning on her fighting the dragon with her or he wasn't going to be wearing the armor. "You aren't planning on wearing it, you just want me to wear it." Emma exclaimed as she narrowed her own eyes.

"Yes. I don't want you to get hurt again." Charming said knowing he was fighting a losing battle with this one. He wasn't sure why he ever thought he would be able to convince Emma to wear the armor, but it definitely was worth a shot.

"I am not wearing it." Emma said again keeping her arms crossed in front of her body as she stared down her father.

For moment, father and daughter stared each other down with equal amounts of stubbornness standing in similar stances besides that Charming had his hands on his hips while his daughter had hers crossed in front of her.

"Okay. You don't have to wear it if you don't want to." Charming relented somewhat defeated, but if something happen to Emma while they fought the dragon, Snow was going to kill him.

Emma was surprised that her dad gave up so soon. "What you are giving up?" Emma asked somewhat teasing.

"I know how to choose my battles." Charming said with sigh. "You just have to promise me you will be careful. If anything happens to you, your mother is going to kill me." Charming added.

"Yeah, that's probably true." Emma said with a grin. "I'll be careful."

"Good." Charming said. "We better get going, it's already 7:30."

"Already? It is so gross that we have already been up for almost two hours." Emma commented. She didn't like waking up at the crack of dawn.

Charming chuckled knowing that Emma valued her sleep and waking up early was not something she enjoyed. "Come on, we have a dragon to slay and a ring to find." Charming said as he put his arm around Emma.

"And a family to get back to." Emma finished for her father feeling more confident than she had about getting home since they had landed in the Enchanted Forest.

**Loved to hear you thoughts, please review! :)**


	11. Ready Set Go

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 11! This chapter is mostly catching up on what Snow is doing in Storybrooke, but we get a little of Charming and Emma as well! :) Hope you like it! Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Enjoy! (Oh also, Neal, although his is now really dead, is still in my story. I couldn't just write him out since I started it with him in it. Oh well :) )**

**Ready. Set. Go.**

**20 Hours Earlier in Storybrooke**

Snow was feeling so much more relaxed since she had her conversation with Charming. She drove Henry to school earlier and then came home to clean and prepare for her family to come home. She knew tomorrow she may feel a little anxious knowing that her husband and daughter would most likely be fighting a dragon. But, today, she wasn't going to worry about that.

_Ring. Ring. Ring. _

Snow went over and answered her phone. "Hello?"

_"Hey Mary Margaret, good news, my dad and I found King George. He is locked up in jail." Neal said. _

"Really? I'm on my way down there." Snow replied with the mixture of excitement and anger.

_"Okay, we'll see you here soon." Neal replied. _

"I'm just going to drop Leo off with Granny, then I'll see you there." Snow said as she started to gather stuff for Leo.

_"Okay!" Neal replied. _

"Bye and thanks again, Neal." Snow said.

_"It was my pleasure. See you soon." Neal replied sincerely before he hung up. _

Snow quickly finished packing Leo's stuff in his diaper bag. She put her coat on and grabbed what she needed before she went over to get Leo from his play pen. "You thought I was going to forget you, didn't you. Well I would never do that, sweetie." Snow said as she picked Leo up.

She walked over to the door with Leo. "Daddy and your sister are going to be coming home soon. They just have to fight a dragon first, but they will get here. I have faith." Snow continued to talk to Leo as they walked down the stairs to the car. Leo clapped his hands even though he didn't understand what was going on.

Snow dropped Leo off with Granny and Ruby at the diner, which happen to be after the lunch rush. She made her way to the jail quickly. She was ready to give King George a piece of her mind and maybe a piece of her fist too.

She walked into the station with determination. She was met by Neal, Grumpy, and Hook who had been helping out since Emma and David had been gone.

"Snow, he is in the interrogation room." Neal informed Snow.

"I'm going in." Snow said through gritted teeth.

"Are you sure you shouldn't let us talked to him?" Neal said slowly, not likely the idea of facing Prince Charming if something happened to his wife.

"Yeah, I agree with Neal, here. I'll go in." Hook said with a smirk.

"No, I'll go in." Neal argued with Hook.

Snow looked from Neal to Hook as they started to argue about who should go in. Even Grumpy put his two cents in that he should go in. Soon she couldn't take it anymore. "Enough." Snow yelled. "I'm going in to talk to him alone. You three can stay behind the window." Snow said with a voice full of authority.

All three of them stopped arguing and looked at Snow.

"Can you put it in writing that you decided to go in there alone? Just in case something happens to you. I'd rather not have the Prince mad at me." Hook replied with a cocky grin.

Snow rolled her eyes before she turned around and walked into the interrogation room. Men. They always thought that women couldn't take care of themselves. Well she had news for them, she could definitely hold her own and take care of herself.

Snow entered the room.

"Well, well. Look who came to visit. Snow White. Missing your family, are you?" King George sneered triumphantly.

"Actually, David and Emma are about to be on their way home." Snow replied, with a smirk.

King George was surprised by this. He really didn't think they would be able to find a way home. He would have to move to plan B. "Well, they aren't back yet." King George replied lamely.

"Where did you find the bean?" Snow demanded.

"Oh wouldn't you like to know?" King George said with a glare at Snow.

"Yes and you are going to tell me where you got it and if you have any more of them." Snow replied with authority as she leaned on the table towards King George.

"I only had the one and it's my business where I acquired it." King George said roughly before he grabbed Snow's arm pulling her towards her.

Snow reacted instantly and punched King George in the face, making him let go of her arm. She backed away from him and at the same time her "knights in shiny armor" came to her rescue. Neal, Hook, and Grumpy busted into the room. She looked over at them and rolled her eyes. "See I can take care of myself." Snow said as she shook her head with a small smile.

"That you can milady. That you can." Hook replied with a crooked grin.

"Lock him up. I'm done with him." Snow said as she turned to leave.

"You may get your family back, but I will take away your husband's happiness whether it is this week or next year or the year after that. I will succeed." King George said with gritted teeth as he glared at Snow.

"When are you going to learn that you will never win?" Snow said in a tired voice.

"Oh I'm confident that I will. I will take your precious Emma and this new kid of yours away from your husband. And while I'm at it, I'll take you and Henry too. I will get my revenge." King George spat at Snow.

Snow was furious so she took Hook's sword and put it up to King George's throat. "Don't you ever threaten my children or grandson again!" Snow said through gritted teeth.

King George chuckled evilly. "But don't you see, that is the only way to destroy your Charming's happiness: to take his family away." King George explained.

Snow hesitated with the sword, which was still against King George's throat.

"He's not worth it Snow." Neal said softly as he laid a hand on her shoulder.

Snow hesitated for a moment. "You're right. He's not worth it." Snow said as she back away from King George. "Lock him up." Snow said as she handed Hook his sword and walked out of the room.

"You heard her." Grumpy said roughly as he went over to King George and dragged him to his cell.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

Snow was furious at King George, but she knew that he wouldn't win. She would get her family back and they would all be safe. She went back to Granny's Diner and picked up Leo from Ruby and Granny. After King George had threatened her children, she didn't feel like being separated from him. She just wished that Emma was there too. For a moment, she convinced herself to go get Henry from school, but then calmed down realizing that King George was locked up.

She hung out at the diner with Ruby for a while waiting till it was time to pick up Henry from school. Ruby was able to get her mind off her worries, which was a great help to Snow.

"Oh look at the time, I have to go get Henry!" Snow said after she saw the time on her phone.

"Yeah you do! Here, hold on." Ruby said as she ran behind the counter.

A few minutes later, Ruby was back with a cup in her hand. "A hot chocolate with cinnamon for Henry." Ruby said with a proud grin.

"Oh that's so sweet, he will love it!" Snow said with a grin. She balanced Leo on her hip as she grabbed the diaper bag and then the hot chocolate. "See you later, Ruby!"

"Bye, Snow!" Ruby said with a grin.

Snow made her way to the school and picked up Henry.

"Hi Grams! Hey Leo!" Henry said with a huge grin. Ever since his grandma had told him that his mom and grandpa had a possible way home, he had been so excited.

"Hey Henry, did you have a good day?" Snow asked.

"It was awesome! I couldn't help, but think of my mom and gramps coming home tomorrow!" Henry replied.

Snow smiled, he was really excited, but if it didn't work then he would be heartbroken. Who was she kidding? She would be heartbroken too. "Just remember Henry, it isn't for sure. They may not make it back tomorrow or they may not find the ring." Snow said, but couldn't help, but hope for the best.

"I know, but I just know that it is going to work. It has to!" Henry replied with a grin.

"I believe it will too." Snow replied, knowing hope was a powerful thing.

"We should plan a party for them!" Henry said with excitement.

Snow and Henry went on to plan a party for Emma and David when they returned to Storybrooke. They were both excited and thrilled that their family would be whole again in just another day. After dinner, Snow, Henry, and Leo watched the movie _Frozen. _Leo fell asleep soon after it started and Snow put him to bed. Snow had her arm around Henry and Henry had his head leaning against her shoulder as they continued to watch it. This was the first time in a while that they were able to relax and just enjoy each other's company. Snow didn't realize that Henry had fallen asleep until the credits were rolling. She didn't bother to wake him just yet. She felt a little closer to her daughter, having Henry beside her. She cherished the moment while the credits rolled, thinking of what tomorrow would be like when her family would be together again.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

"Oh come on, Grams! I want to be here when they get back, they could come at anytime!" Henry pleaded with his Grandma.

"Henry, you need to go to school and they probably won't be here until later anyway. They have to travel to where then dragon was which will take a couple of hours and then slay the dragon which will take a little bit of time as well." Snow argued.

"Please, Grams." Henry pleaded.

"I promise if they get back while you are still at school, we will come get you out." Snow replied with a soft smile.

"Okay." Henry said as he grabbed his backpack. "You know you don't have to drive me. King George is locked up." Henry said with a cocky smile at his grandma's overprotectiveness.

"I know, but it would make me feel better to take you." Snow said. She knew he would be safe, but after talking to King George the other day, she was still a little worried about Henry's and Leo's safety.

Henry just shook his head as they headed out the door.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

"So...when exactly are we going to get there?" Emma asked as she rode beside her dad. She was really starting to get the hang of riding horses.

"We should get there about one." Charming replied, sensing Emma's eagerness to get home, which he felt himself. He couldn't wait to have his family together and safe.

"Seriously? Why does everything have to be so far away?" Emma complained.

"Because there are no cars to get us there faster." Charming said with a grin.

"Well you guys should hop to it." Emma said annoyed at the Enchanted Forest's lack of any type of advanced transportation.

Charming chuckled softly. "When did you think we would get there?" Charming asked curiously.

"In an hour or two?" Emma said with a slight grimace.

Charming laughed. "Oh Emma. We just started a half hour ago." Charming said through his laughter.

"I don't think this is funny." Emma replied with a glare towards her father, but his deep laughter was starting to get contagious so her glare wasn't as strong as she would have liked. Although she was glad to be going home, she would always cherish the past few days that she got to spend with her Dad. She got to see him in his element and got to see him as the Prince that he was. It had been an adventure she got to experience with her Dad and she wouldn't have traded it for the world. She looked over at her Dad who was giving her his signature 'charming' smile and she couldn't help, but smile back.

"Come on princess, let's see how fast your horse can go. Race you to the that tree ahead." Charming said with a mischievous grin.

"Okay." Emma said, as she got ready. "But you know, I always win no matter what kind of game."

"We'll see about that. I've had a lot of practice." Charming said with a smile. "Ready. Set." Emma starts off. "Go." _Just like her mother... _Charming thought as he raced after his daughter with a huge grin on his face.

Emma laughed as she got to the tree a second before her father. "Told you I always win!" Emma replied with huge grin on her face.

"You cheated!" Charming said with a chuckle.

"Me? Cheat? I would never do that." Emma said as she put the most innocent smile on as she could.

Charming chuckled at his daughter's response and then made a comment, "like mother, like daughter."

Emma turned to smile at her Dad. "What, does mom always beat you too?" Emma said with a cheeky grin.

"She always cheats, just like her daughter." Charming replied with a grin.

Emma laughed. She didn't realize what she had missed with riding horses. It was like you were free with the wind rushing past you. It was an amazing experience and racing with her Dad had been so much fun. She briefly wondered what it would have been like to race her father and mother. Emma turned to her Dad with an enthusiastic grin, "can we do it again?"

Charming could tell that Emma was having a fun time riding the horses and couldn't say no to that eager face of hers. "Sure. To the bottom of that hill." Charming replied with a smile. He enjoyed riding horses just as much as his daughter, but he enjoyed being able to put that smile on her face even more.

"Ready to lose again?" Emma said with an eager smile.

"I let you win last time, this time I'm pulling out all the stops." Charming said with mock-serious voice.

"Wait, I thought you said I cheated? You're changing your story." Emma replied with a look that clearly said 'seriously.'

"Are we going to talk or race?" Charming said as he got his horse ready for the race. "And no cheating, young lady." Charming said with a fake stern voice on 'young lady.'

Emma rolled her eyes, but a smile came to her lips as she turned to get ready to race her dad.

"Ready. Set. Go." Charming yelled, but his daughter had once again started at 'set' just like he predicted she would do. He sighed with a smile as he raced after her, catching up with her, but letting her get there first. He couldn't help it, he loved to see her smile.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

"What do you mean he is gone?" Snow almost yelled through the phone.

_"I mean he isn't here. I walked into the station to see if Grumpy needed anything and Grumpy was knocked out on the floor." Neal replied through the phone. _

"I'm coming down there." Snow said quickly as she gather Leo and his diaper bag to head to Granny's and then the station. It was one so she was hoping Granny and Ruby would not be too busy to take care of him.

She reached Granny's within a half hour and explained why she had to leave Leo with them. They were more than willing to help Snow and wished her luck in tracking down King George.

"Ruby, just don't let him out of your sight. I don't trust King George one bit." Snow said with worry shining in her eyes.

"I won't Snow. He will be safe with us. Good luck and stay safe." Ruby said with a concerned expression as she watched her friend leave.

Snow hurried over to the station to talk to Grumpy. She walked in and saw that Hook was also there with Neal and Grumpy. "What happened?" Snow asked as she walked over to the three men.

"I came in after helping a lady jump-start her car and heard a noise coming from over by Emma's desk. The next thing I knew some man was hitting me over the head with a crow bar." Grumpy explained with an annoyed look on his face.

Snow looked over to Hook with an annoyed glare, "now who else do I know that has been hit over the head with a crow bar? Oh yeah, my husband." Snow said with a meaningful look towards Hook.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that, but it wasn't me!" Hook replied with a guilty expression.

"I know, Hook. Grumpy, did you recognize him?" Snow asked sincerely.

"If I did, I would have told you that so and so did it." Grumpy said.

"How long ago did he escape?" Snow asked ignoring Grumpy's normal grumpy attitude.

"About an hour ago." Grumpy replied as he held his head.

"Ok. Neal, can you and your father start looking for him?" Snow asked Neal.

"Yeah, he won't want to, but I'll get him to do it." Neal said confidently and then he hurried out of the station.

"Hook, take Grumpy to the hospital to get his head checked and then you two can go out to look for him too. Just make sure you contact Neal to see where they have looked already." Snow ordered.

"Sure, but what are you going to do?" Hook replied with obvious concern on his face, which was surprising to himself and Snow.

"I am going to go get Ruby and see if she can track King George. If we get a led, I'll call you guys to come help." Snow replied.

"Are you sure you should be out and about since King George threatened to kidnap you and your family?" Hook said in a cocky tone to hide his concern.

"That is exactly why I have to be looking for him, to protect my family from him." Snow replied with stubbornness and determination.

Hook nodded and the three of them left the station in search for King George.

In Snow's haste, she had forgotten her bow and arrows so instead of heading for the diner, she went back to the loft to pick them up.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

"Are we there yet?" Emma asked. She was a little tired of riding in a saddle for the last five hours. She thought they had to be just about there.

Charming looked down to hide a grin that came to his face, but then looked back at Emma who had slowed down. "Not yet."

"What? I thought you said we would be there by one." Emma complained.

"I said about one." Charming said with a soft smile, his daughter wasn't use to the amount of time it took to get to places in the Enchanted Forest. She was just a bit impatient.

"Isn't it about one? How long till we get there?" Emma asked with a disgruntled expression.

"It's at least another hour away." Charming said with a grimace, knowing Emma's response and thinking he probably should have told her they would be there by three instead of one.

"What? Seriously?" Emma exclaimed and then sighed. "We're never going to get there, are we?" Emma complained.

Charming rolled his eyes at Emma's theatrics and couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. "We'll get there, Emma."

"Not soon enough." Emma said sarcastically, but mostly to herself.

Charming slowed his horse down to a stop and waited for Emma to catch up to him before they both continued on side by side.

"What do you think they are doing?" Emma asked after a couple of moments of comfortable silence.

"Well if I know your mother, she is probably planning some kind of homecoming party for us." Charming said with a chuckle.

"Henry probably tried to convince her to let him stay home, but she probably said no. Unless he pulled his puppy dog eyes, I haven't seen anyone that could say no to them." Emma added.

"That's true. Speaking of those eyes, it seems like he inherited them from you." Charming said with a meaningful look.

"Why would you say that?" Emma asked while trying to hide the grin that was coming to her face. She knew exactly what he was thinking of.

"Because you use that look on me." Charming said with a shake of his head, but a soft smile coming to his face.

"Yeah, but it doesn't always work." Emma said with a sigh.

"It would have if your health wasn't involved." Charming said with a chuckle at Emma's response. "And it wasn't easy either, you were being unfair using that look with calling me Daddy."

"But you wanted me to drink the disgusting tea again. I had to pull out the big guns and it still didn't work. I may need to take some tips from Henry." Emma said.

"Oh no you don't. You already know enough." Charming said quickly. He knew that this was only trouble for him.

Emma just gave him a mischievous grin, which Charming knew to mean trouble.

A couple of minutes later, Emma turned to look at her father. "Can we race again?" Emma asked.

"I think the horses are tired, Emma." Charming said, really thinking the horses probably had enough racing for the day.

"Please." Emma said turning her best puppy dog eyes on her Dad.

"Emma." Charming said slowly after seeing her puppy dog look. He really couldn't resist that face especially when she wasn't sick or endangered. He closed his eyes, knowing that it really probably wasn't the best thing to do for the horses, but he couldn't say no.

"Please, just once more." Emma said again still giving her puppy dog eyes.

Charming couldn't do it. "Ok, but a short one. The horses are really tired." Charming said with a smile.

"Yes!" Emma exclaimed. "Where to?"

"See the third tree up ahead?" Charming asked.

Emma nodded with a smile.

"Just be careful. This is a little rougher area than before." Charming said as he survey the land quickly with eyes.

"Ok." Emma said.

"And remember, we go on 'go', not 'set.'" Charming said with a smirk.

"Duh. Everyone knows that." Emma said with a small giggle.

Charming sighed. "What am I going to do with you?" Charming shook his head. "Ready...Go." Charming yelled as he started off.

Emma wasn't expecting that, but she was already ready to go at 'set' so she was neck and neck with her father's horse. She wasn't going to lose if she could help it so far she was undefeated. When they were about half way there, Emma saw a log in the way.

"Emma! Go around it!" Charming yelled because he was worried that Emma would try to go over it.

Emma knew she should listen to him, but she wasn't thinking about safety. She was thinking about winning the race and if she went around it she would lose. So she went right for it, she could do it. She could have the horse jump over it.

She thought she had it, but something happened and she found herself flying through the air. She briefly heard her dad yelling her name, but then she hit the ground and felt her breath being taken away right before everything went black.

Charming had seen her going for the log and fear seized his heart as he watched as the horse stumbled and threw Emma off of the horse. She landed in a heap on the ground and he galloped his horse over to her. He jumped off before his horse even stopped and ran at full speed to Emma.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

Snow arrived at the loft and went straight to where she had been keeping her bow and arrows. She was going to get King George behind bars again. She wouldn't have her family come back to chaos. She would deal with this and she would deal with King George. She had a family to protect.

"I was wondering when you would get back. I'm just disappointed that your little boy isn't with you." King George said from behind Snow.

Snow froze knowing that King George most likely had a weapon on her. She was just so thankful that Henry and Leo weren't there. "You aren't getting my son or grandson." Snow said as she slowly turned around to face King George who was holding a gun on her.

"Maybe not at the moment, but I will and I'll get your daughter as well, if she makes it back here." King George sneered. "Now, we have places to be. Let's get going shall we." King George said as he jabbed the gun into Snow's back and pushed her towards the door.

**Please Review! :)**


	12. Company

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 12! I hope you enjoy this chapter, it is longer than I thought it was! I was working on this when I should have been doing my homework, but you guys get a chapter! Thanks for the reviews! If you guys have any ideas or suggestions, let me know! Enjoy this chapter! :) **

**Company**

"Emma!" Charming yelled.

Charming had seen her going for the log and fear seized his heart as he watched as the horse stumbled and threw Emma off of the horse. She landed in a heap on the ground and he galloped his horse over to her. He jumped off before his horse even stopped and ran at full speed to Emma.

Charming knelt beside Emma. "Emma, Emma!" Charming said as he gently moved her on to her back and brushed the dirt off her face.

Emma moaned as she came around.

Charming lifted her up so that she was leaning on his legs. "Emma, wake up, sweetie." Charming gently touched the side of Emma's face. She blinked her eyes open, but winced when she did.

"What happened?" Emma said in a confused tone as she looked up to see her father's worried face.

"Your horse threw you. Are you hurt anywhere?" Charming asked in a worried voice as he looked her over.

"Just my head I think." Emma said truthfully; although she had a feeling she was going to be sore all over.

Charming looked at Emma's head and saw a bruise developing right at her hairline. He gently felt the bump that was developing, but stopped when Emma winced in pain. "Yeah, you hit your head pretty hard. Why didn't you go around the log?" Charming chided as he gave Emma a parental glare.

Emma quickly looked away as her dad gave her that look. He wasn't very happy she decided to jump over the log. "I just wanted to win, I wasn't really thinking about it." Emma mumbled, avoiding her father's eyes.

Charming turned Emma's chin so that she was looking at him. "Emma, you could have gotten seriously hurt!" Charming scolded.

"But, I didn't." Emma replied, but then started to try get up. She wasn't liking this close proximity to an upset father.

Charming stopped her from getting up, he wasn't done talking and he didn't want her getting up to fast. "Don't do that again. You just about gave me a heart attack." Charming said seriously as he looked down at Emma.

"I'm sorry. I'll listen to you next time." Emma said sincerely. She didn't mean to worry him like she did and definitely didn't want to delay getting home, which might have happen if she had gotten hurt worse.

"Next time? You're grounded from horses." Charming replied in a mock-serious tone.

"What?" Emma said in surprise, but just got a smirk from her father. "For how long?" Emma asked with a frown.

"Till I forget the image of you flying off your horse and hitting the ground." Charming replied with a grimace as he replayed it in his head.

Emma rolled her eyes, which she regretted as soon as she did it. Then she remembered the horse. "Is the horse okay?" Emma said as she once again tried to get up.

"Whoa, stop trying to get up so fast." Charming said as he once again stopped her from getting up. "You need to take it easy." Charming said softly.

"But the horse?" Emma said worried that she hurt it.

"We will find him in a minute and check on him, but Emma he could be hurt. And if he is hurt, we may have to put him down." Charming said seriously.

"We can't do that, we have to help him." Emma said as she tried to get up again, but was prevented by her dad.

"We'll do what we can." Charming replied.

"Can I get up now?" Emma asked, seeing that he wasn't letting her up on her own.

"With my help, yes." Charming said with a soft smile.

He helped Emma up, who swayed a little, but he steadied her by putting an arm around her waist. "Are you okay?" Charming said in a concerned tone.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Can we find the horse now?" Emma asked as she looked around.

"Yes. It looks like it ran off that way. Come on, you can ride with me." Charming said as he directed Emma over to his horse, he hadn't let go of her in fear that she may not be quite ready.

"I thought I was grounded from horses?" Emma said with a cocky smile as she got onto his horse.

"You are, but the doesn't mean you can't ride with me." Charming said with a chuckle. Then he got on the horse behind Emma, wrapping his arms around her protectively as he grabbed the reins. When she leaned back against him, he knew she wasn't feeling the greatest. He knew that she probably had a headache from the fall, but other than her bump on her head and a few bruises she was fine.

Emma groaned suddenly interrupting Charming's thoughts. "What's wrong Emma? Do you feel sick?" Charming started to panic as he felt Emma's forehead.

"Mom's going to kill me when she finds out what I did, isn't she?" Emma said in sudden realization of the possibility of Snow's wrath.

"Probably, but she'll kill me first. I wasn't suppose to let you get another scratch."

"That's true. Can we just keep the part about trying to purposefully jump over the log a secret between us?" Emma said hopefully.

"I don't think so, young lady. You aren't getting out of this that easily and anyway then she would be only mad at me." Charming said.

"That's the point so she isn't mad at me." Emma said with a smile on her face.

Charming sighed, as they continued to ride the horse.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

"Come on, Grams. Where are you?" Henry said as he peered down the street. He didn't take the bus because his grandma told him that she was picking him up, but now it was 3:30. The bus was gone and he was the only kid still there. He didn't want to admit it, but he was worried. The way his grandma had been lately, she would have been ten minutes early instead of a half an hour late. He didn't want to wait any longer, what if his grandma needed him? He had to walk back.

Henry started walking, but then he had the feeling like someone was watching him. He looked around to see that no one was around so kept walking wishing that he had called Grandma, or his dad, or even his mom. He kept walking, but he picked up his pace. Something was wrong and he had a strong feeling that King George was involved. If only he could make it to the corner up ahead he could run into one of the stores and get help. He was debating running for it when a man came out of an ally to his right and another man came across the street from his left. This was his chance, he needed to run, but he was frozen for a second. Then he started to run, but before he got far a car swung right in front of him blocking his way.

"Nowhere to run kid your trapped." Then man behind him said with an evil chuckle.

Henry looked for a way out and tried to make a break for it, but was caught by the man who had come from across the street. The man was humongous and strong. Even though, Henry struggled and fought against him there was no way Henry was a match for this man.

"Put him in the trunk with her." King George said as he came out of the car.

Henry was terrified they did have his grandma. Was she okay? He started to panic at what he might find in the trunk. The other man opened the trunk and the man who was holding Henry shoved Henry into the truck alongside the woman. Then the man shut the trunk causing everything to go dark for Henry.

"Grandma?" Henry asked in a terrified voice.

"Oh Henry." Snow said softly as she realized it had been Henry who they had been getting. She had really hoped they wouldn't be able to get him. She wrapped her arms around him to comfort him, his voice sounded so terrified.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked when he realized that it was his grandma.

"Yes, Henry I'm fine. Are you alright? They didn't hurt you did they?" Snow asked in a concerned voice.

"No, they didn't hurt me. Is Leo okay?" Henry asked with fear evident in his voice.

"He should be." Snow said with a voice full of worry.

"Good. What are they going to do with us?" Henry asked fearfully.

"I don't know, honey, but I won't let them hurt you." Snow said as she held Henry tighter.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

"There he is!" Charming said as he rode the horse closer. He jumped off the horse and walked over to it.

Emma got down from the horse faster than she should have because she got dizzy and had to lean against the horse to steady herself. Thankfully her father didn't see that because he was busy looking the horse over.

"Good news, he is okay. He just must have spooked when you tried to have him jump the log." Charming said as he grabbed the reins and brought them over to Emma. He was about to give the reins to Emma when he realized that she was paler than normal and she was holding onto the horse.

"Good." Emma said. She tried to let go of the horse so that her father wouldn't catch on to how she was feeling. She let go of the horse, but then started to lose her balance. _Crap. _

"Emma!" Charming said as he caught Emma before she fell.

"I'm fine. Just got down too fast." Emma said to her worried father. "Is he okay to ride?" Emma asked hopefully.

"Oh you're not riding him when you are getting dizzy. I would prefer it if you didn't fall off anymore horses today." Charming said as he continued to support Emma. He was going to let her ride him, but that was before he saw her dizzy and pale.

"But I'm fine." Emma complained stubbornly.

"You aren't fine and you won't be riding the horse." Charming said firmly to his stubborn daughter.

"But.." Emma started.

"No buts, end of discussion. Now, let's go." Charming said before helping Emma onto the horse.

Emma stood stubbornly for a moment; if she was going to be totally honest with herself she didn't feel much like riding by herself. It was just her pride that was standing in her way and that she was naturally stubborn. "Fine." Emma said as she quickly went to get on his horse, but she once again went too quickly and got dizzy proving her father right.

Charming caught Emma as she started to fall backwards so that she was leaning against him.

"Ok, I guess you're right." Emma admitted as she closed her eyes as she tried to control the dizziness.

"Well didn't you ever hear _father_ _knows_ _best_?" Charming said with a chuckle, but he was becoming even more worried about Emma. "Are you feeling better?" Charming asked.

"Yeah." Emma said as she opened her eyes.

"Ok, let me help you get on the horse and take it easy." Charming said as he kept a hold of Emma as she started to get on the horse. She got on the top of the horse and started to sway a little, but he had jumped on right after and pulled her to him to keep her from falling. "I've got you."

Emma closed her eyes again as her father put his arms around her pulling her to lean against him. This wasn't good, how was she suppose to fight a dragon when she kept getting dizzy. Maybe it would go away by then, but even if it did, would her dad let her help fight the dragon?

She hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep until her father was waking her up.

"Emma, wake up. We are here." Charming said.

Emma opened her eyes slowly and then realized what he said. "Fight the dragon?" Emma mumbled.

"Not yet, we have to climb the mountain first." Charming said with a chuckle. "How are you feeling?" Charming asked.

"Good, I think." Emma said as she sat up a little in the saddle.

Charming swiftly got off the horse before helping Emma get down. He looked at her intently making sure she wasn't dizzy before he let go of her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm not dizzy at all." Emma said.

"Good, let's head up then." Charming said as he grabbed Emma's sword off the horse and gave it to her. He would just keep an eye on her, he didn't want her fighting the dragon if she was still getting dizzy. Although, he may need her help if this dragon was like no other dragon. He really didn't know what to expect.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

"Is Mary Margaret here?" Neal asked Ruby.

"No, she hasn't come back since she dropped Leo off." Ruby said.

"Wait. She never came here to get you?" Neal asked with worry in his voice.

"No. Was she going to?" Ruby asked getting concerned for her friend.

"She told Hook and Grumpy that she was coming here to get you to help her track King George, but that was three hours ago. Oh no, have you seen Henry?" Neal asked in a panicked voice.

"No." Ruby said with a frown.

"But Leo is okay?" Neal asked.

"Yeah. He is in the back with Granny. Maybe you should call the school." Ruby said.

Neal got his phone out and quickly called the school.

"Okay, thanks anyway." Neal said before he hung up the phone. "He's not there." Neal said with a sigh. "Here I'll take Leo and go check the loft to see if he made it home." Neal said before following Ruby to the back.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

"How long are they going to keep us in here, Grandma?" Henry asked with a tinge of fear in his voice.

"I'm not sure Henry." Snow replied. She still had her arms around Henry, not willing to let him go.

"Do you think mom and gramps are back yet?" Henry asked hopefully.

"Maybe. If they are, they are looking for us." Snow said, hoping that it was true.

Henry was about to say something when the car stopped and the trunk was opened.

"Isn't that cute?" King George sneered as he saw Snow holding on to Henry. "Ricky get them out." King George said to the bigger man.

"Don't touch him." Snow practical growled at the man named Ricky.

Ricky just gave an evil laugh before he tore Henry from Snow's arms and took him from the trunk. Henry struggled in the man's arms until Ricky had enough. "Stay still you piece of scum." Ricky said before he handed Henry to the smaller man, but before he went back he slapped Henry across the face.

Henry gasped and a small cry slipped from his lips.

Snow heard his cry and was furious at this man who had hurt her grandson. He came back for her, but she was ready for him and she punched him in the face. "That's for hurting my grandson." Snow yelled, but she was quickly grabbed by the man who was now furious as well.

"You shouldn't have done that." Ricky growled at Snow.

"Tie them up." King George yelled to his men.

Ricky tightly tied ropes around Snow's wrists and the other man tied ropes around Henry's wrists.

Snow realized that they were in then middle of the forest and she had no clue where they were. "Where are you taking us?" Snow asked.

"Somewhere where your Charming won't find you." King George said through a snarl. "Let's get going." King George ordered his men.

Ricky shoved Snow forward as the other man pushed Henry forward as well.

Snow looked back at Henry to make sure he was okay. She could see the red mark on his cheek and frowned because she wasn't able to stop it from happening. She gave him a sad, but encouraging smile, which he returned. Ricky must have seen her looking at her grandson because then he shoved her forward causing her to fall to the ground. She was just glad that he wasn't with Henry. He could do all he wanted to her, but he better not hurt her grandson again. She felt herself being pulled off the ground roughly. _This maybe a long walk. _Snow thought as she could felt the scrapes on her legs and hands from falling down on the forest floor.

*****ENCHANTED FOREST*****

Charming and Emma just found where the dragon was located, but hadn't got a good look at it yet.

"Are you still feeling up to this?" Charming said as he looked at Emma with a concerned expression.

"Yes. I'm feeling fine." Emma said as she rolled her eyes. He had asked her ten times on the way up and everytime she gave him the same answer. She only had a headache and she could live through that, but she wasn't about to admit that to her dad.

"Ok. Let's see if we can get a good look at this dragon." Charming said as he started to move forward towards where the dragon was.

"There he is." Charming said as he took in the sight of the dragon. "It looks normal." Charming said in a confused tone.

"Ah Dad." Emma said as she patted his arm to get his attention.

"What?" Charming said as he looked where Emma was looking.

"Did they say anything about their being two dragons?" Emma said.

"No, but it looks like there is two of them." Charming said grimly as he looked from one dragon to the other.

"So which one do you think has the ring?" Emma said half-jokingly.

"I have no clue, but I guess we just pick one and kill it then if it doesn't have the ring go and kill the other one." Charming said trying to decide which one to start with.

"Okay." Emma said, but was wondering if it would be that easy.

"Okay let's go to this one over here first. Be careful. Use the rocks to hide behind if you need to. You head that way and I'll go this way and distract him. Stay covered as much as possible so he doesn't see you and then when I say, come out and try to kill him." Charming said as he got his sword ready by twirling it around his hand.

"How do you do that?" Emma asked, she had seen him twirl his sword around his hand many times, but normally it wasn't a time where she could ask him.

"Do what?" Charming asked with confusion evident on his face.

"The twirly-thing with your sword." Emma said as she motioned with her hand what she meant.

"Oh this?" Charming asked as he twirled his sword again.

"Yes." Emma answered.

"I'll teach you when we get home." Charming said with a soft smile, touched that she was interested in using swords.

"Okay." Emma said with smile before she started off the way he had directed her to go.

Charming chuckled softly, but then went towards the dragon.

Charming snuck up as close as he could get to the dragon, but then it saw him. It blew fire at him, which he was able to dodge behind a rock before it got to him. He quickly surveyed the surroundings to see if there was a way to trap the dragon. He only saw one possible area so he started to run for it. "Emma, I'm leading him over to the rock over there stay hidden till I say to come out and then cut of his head." Charming yelled in the direction he knew Emma was.

"Okay," Emma yelled back, but then she saw that the other dragon had heard them and was coming over there. "Uh we have company!" Emma yelled.

"What kind of company?" Charming yelled wondering if she meant Richard and his friend or the other dragon. He wasn't sure which one was better.

"Dragon!" Emma yelled, but before Charming could say anything she went after the second dragon because it was coming for her dad.

"Emma!" Charming yelled as he saw Emma go towards the second dragon.

Charming got the dragon caught in his trap, but had to run around to the other side to be able to cut the head off because the dragon was now blowing a whole stream a fire in front of him. The dragon's head was stuck between two huge rocks.

Emma wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she had to do something to kill this dragon. She darted and slide behind a rock as she just barely missed the fire that the dragon was breathing. She peeked out for the rock, but just as she did another roll of fire came her way so she had to duck back behind the rock. She decided to run around and get behind the dragon to try to surprise him. She ran around the area so that she was behind the dragon and yelled, "Hey!" The dragon turned to her, but before he could turn all the way around Emma had her sword raised above her head ready to throw it at his throat.

Charming got around the dragon and took his sword and chopped the dragon's head off. Just as he did he heard Emma yell 'hey' to the other dragon. He ran over to where Emma was and saw her standing in front of the dragon with her sword raised above her head ready to kill the dragon. He ran over to help if she needed it. He was both terrified and proud as he saw his daughter in front of the dragon.

Emma threw the sword at the dragon and she was happy when she made her target, but she was surprised when the dragon didn't die.

Charming was just as stunned as Emma when the dragon didn't die. It should have killed it, but it didn't. "Emma take cover!" Charming said as he saw the dragon coming towards her. He ran over to it and yelled, "hey!"

The dragon stopped chasing Emma and turned around to face him. It still had Emma's sword lodged in its throat. He wondered briefly if it couldn't shoot fire out of his mouth with the sword lodged in his throat, but then the dragon shot fire at him which he was able to dodge behind a nearby rock. They were going to have to trap it again. He just wasn't sure how. "Emma!" Charming yelled.

"Yeah?" Emma yelled back.

"Stay where you are, I'm coming over there." Charming yelled back as he made his way over to where she was.

He found her behind a rock. "Are you okay?" Charming asked, as he looked Emma over.

"I'm fine. How are we going to kill him? Did you kill the other one?" Emma asked right before the dragon blew fire at the rock they were behind making fire come on either side of the rock. Charming automatically pressed her up to the rock protecting her from the fire.

"Yeah, I killed it. I'm not sure how we are going to kill this one. Your hit should have brought it down."

"Yeah, it stole my sword." Emma said in an annoyed voice. "Did you find the ring?" Emma asked thinking that maybe they could just leave if they had the ring.

"No, I didn't find it, but I didn't look very hard." Charming said.

They both looked around the rock to see where the dragon was, but the dragon was ready for them. It blew fire once again and would have gotten Emma if Charming hadn't quickly grabbed her and pulled her back behind the rock.

"How are we going to kill him?" Emma asked after she caught her breath. In her father's haste, he had grabbed her a little tighter than he meant to.

"Well, I think we have to try to trap him, but there really isn't anywhere to do that. The other dragon is in the spot I found." Charming said grimly.

"What if we use the ledge over there and jump on his neck." Emma said.

"That might work. Are you a good climber?" Charming asked.

"Yeah." Emma said, surprised that he was going to let her do it.

"Okay, I'll distract him while you climb up on the ledge. I'll bring him right by you so that you can jump on him. Here, you're going to need this." Charming said as he handed Emma his sword.

"Wait a minute before you leave the rock, I'm going to draw him away so that you can run for the ledge." Charming instructed. "And Emma." Charming paused to get her attention, "be careful." Charming said as he touched Emma's arm.

"I will." Emma said with a smile.

Charming peeked around the rock and then darted to the next rock before yelling out to the dragon.

Emma waited a moment before looking out from behind the rock to see that the dragon was going towards her father. She darted over to the ledge and started climbing up to the top.

Charming kept an eye on his daughter as she climbed up the wall to the ledge, watching for when she made it to the top. She was a good climber. Only once did she start to slip, which caused Charming's heart to freeze until she caught herself. He let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. She was almost to the top ledge. He would have to run as fast as he could to get the dragon to come close enough to the wall for Emma to jump on him.

Emma got to the top and looked over to where she saw the dragon. She had her back against the rock wall because the ledge wasn't very big. She got ready to jump when her father started to bring the dragon over to her. She watch as the dragon just barely missed her father when he blew fire towards him. She was terrified for him as she saw him run across the big empty space.

The dragon was almost to her, she had to jump at the right time in order to make it on him. _One. Two. Three. _Emma jumped on to the dragon's neck, instantly wrapping her legs around its neck before stabbing it with her sword. She expected for the dragon to fall to the ground, but didn't expect what happened.

Charming had watched as Emma jumped onto the dragon and breathed a sigh of relief that she made it. He saw her stab him in the neck, but then he was horrified to see the dragon turn to dust right under Emma. He ran as fast as he could as he saw Emma start to fall.

Emma was shocked to feel the dragon turn to nothing and even more shocked when she was falling through the air. She was too high to fall... Emma braced herself for a hard landing, but found herself falling into her father's arms, but effectively sending them both to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Charming said a little out of breath from catching Emma.

"Yeah. You...caught me?" Emma said also out of breath from the fall. She hadn't expected to be caught by her father.

"Of course." Charming said seriously. He got up from the ground and then helped Emma up, but right after, he pulled her in for a hug. He had been so scared for her when he saw her falling through the air and he was afraid that he wasn't going to make it in time to catch her.

Emma was a little surprised by his sudden hug, but she understood he had watched her fall through the air. She put her arms around his waist and relaxed into the hug. After a moment, her father leaned back slightly from the hug and kissed her forehead.

"I'm glad you are okay." Charming said after he pulled away. " Let's find the ring and go home."

Emma nodded with a grin.

Emma and Charming looked through the ashes of the dragon searching for the ring. Emma finally saw something shiny in the ashes and ran over to it. "I found it!" Emma yelled to her dad.

Charming looked over to Emma to see her holding the ring, but what she didn't realize was that they had company and it wasn't a dragon this time. "Emma, come over here really fast." Charming said as he grabbed the sword that was nearest to him.

Emma was confused at first, but then looked behind her to see that Richard and his friend were coming towards them. She hurried back towards her dad holding the ring tightly in her hand.

By the time, Emma got to him he had found the other sword and handed it to her. "I think that they were waiting for us to get the ring, before they came out." Charming said as he watched as Richard came from one side and the other man came from the other. What surprised them was that another man was now with Richard and friend.

Charming and Emma were standing back to back in the middle of the three men. Emma slipped the ring in her pocket and got her sword ready to fight.

"Hand over the ring and we won't hurt you or your daughter." Richard said.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen." Charming said as he went after Richard and was able to get his shoulder with his first swing.

Richard yelled out in pain, but was able to catch Charming's next swing with his sword.

The other two men started in as well. One of them came towards Emma, but the other went to go help Richard fight off David.

She saw the man going to go get her dad from the back and she kicked the man she was with down to the ground and swung her sword at him catching him across the chest. She then turned and ran towards the man that was almost to her father.

"Dad!" Emma yelled, afraid she wasn't going to make it in time.

Charming turned around in time to see the man coming from behind him and he swung his sword out preventing the man sword from coming in contact with him.

Emma had been too concentrated in warning her father that she forgot about her man until he wrapped his arms around her and held the sword up to her throat. She didn't see Richard up fighting so she figured her dad had taken care of him.

Charming looked over to see the man have Emma in a choke hold with his sword up to her throat. He quickly ended the man's life that he had been fighting and ran over to where the man had his daughter.

"Let. Her. Go." Charming growled.

"Give me the ring and you can have you daughter." The man replied.

He didn't realize that Emma had the ring and neither Charming or Emma were going to inform him that Emma had it in her pocket.

"Ok, you want the ring, you can have it, but let go of my daughter first." Charming said. He saw Emma give him a confused look.

"I want to see the ring first." The man said, not trusting David.

"Of course." Charming took of his wedding ring and showed it to the man, hoping that he didn't realize that it wasn't the right ring.

"Meet us in the middle and I'll trade you." The man said.

"Ok." Charming replied as he started to slowly walk towards the man who was holding his daughter. As they got closer to each other, Charming held out the ring, his wedding ring, to the man. "Let her go and I'll give you the ring." Charming said slowly.

The man slowly lowered his sword, but not completely. "Throw the ring over there."

Charming chucked his ring over where the man directed and then the man pushed Emma over to her father.

Charming caught her and whispered in her ear, "run and get the ring out."

Emma did what he had asked and they ran as fast as they could away from the man.

"Throw the ring down, Emma." Charming said quickly.

Emma did and felt her father grab her hand. The ring opened a portal as they hoped it would.

Emma could hear the man running towards them, but she wasn't worried they would get away in time. They were going home!

"Think of Storybrooke!" Charming yelled and then they both jumped into the portal.

*****STORYBROOKE*****

Charming opened his eyes to see a dark sky, he was in a forest and for a second he panicked. Did they not go back to Storybrooke? He looked over to see the troll bridge and knew they were in Storybrooke. He sat up to see that Emma was still out next to him. "Emma, Emma. We're home."

Emma groaned as she woke up, but then opened her eyes to see her father once again looking at her. He helped her sit up and then stand up. Then Emma realized something. "Was that your wedding ring back there that you gave to the man?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, Snow is going to kill me." Charming said very seriously.

"Yep, you're a dead man." Emma said with a smile.

"Thanks for the support." Charming said with a chuckle, but then looked Emma over. "Oh look at you. You look terrible." Charming said as he took in the dirt, the bruises, her torn clothes, and the cuts.

"Hey!" Emma said in a fake offended tone.

"Maybe we can sneak you in and you can change and make herself look better so that she doesn't kill me." Charming said with a grimace.

Emma shook her head 'no' and then laughed. "You might want to get comfortable on the couch, you probably are going to be there for a while." Emma said with a smirk.

"Probably." Charming chuckled, but then wrapped his arm around his daughter's shoulder before he said, "let's go home."

**Please Review!**


	13. Find Us

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 13! :) Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! I love hearing your thoughts! I hope you like this chapter! Enjoy! :)**

**Find Us**

King George and his men had dragged Snow and Henry through the forest for the last hour and half. The sun was setting by the time they reached what looked like an abandoned house that Snow had never seen before.

"Take them down to the basement." King George ordered his men. "Then I need you two to go see if the Shepherd and his daughter returned."

"Do you want us to try and get her or his son?" Ricky asked with a devilish smile on his face.

"No! We will do that later at the appropriate time." King George said before glaring at Snow.

Snow's heart seized as she heard that King George planned on getting Leo and Emma. She glared back at King George. "If David and Emma are back they won't let you get to Leo and David won't let you take Emma." Snow said with confidence.

King George chuckled. "I'm not asking for your husband's permission." King George said with a snort.

"Don't you dare touch my children." Snow hissed at King George.

"Take them down. Make sure to tie them up." King George ordered, ignoring Snow.

*****OUAT*****

Charming and Emma made their way back to the loft hoping to surprise their family. They were looking forward to a nice, relaxing night with their family all-together. They walked up the stairs to their loft and opened the door.

"Neal?" Emma said in a surprised tone.

"Emma. David. You're back!" Neal said excitedly.

"Where are Snow and Henry?" Charming asked with fear creeping into his voice.

"We think that King George took them. We had finally caught King George the other day and questioned him, but earlier today he escaped. Hook, Grumpy, my father, and I went out to find him. Mary Margaret said she was going to go get Ruby and start tracking him, but she never made it back to the diner. We didn't find out till later that she was gone. When I found out about it, I tried to find Henry, but we are afraid they took him too. Leo however was with Granny and Ruby, then with me since I found about Mary Margaret and Henry being missing." Neal explained as he held Leo in his arms.

"Thanks for taking care of Leo." Charming said, but his face was filled with worry from the news.

"It was my pleasure." Neal said. "If you guys need anything, let me know. Hook, Grumpy, and I are still looking for a lead on where they took them." Neal informed them.

Charming took Leo from Neal and held him close. Neal nodded towards Charming and then turned towards Emma.

"I'm glad your back and we will find Henry and your mom." Neal said giving her arm a gentle squeeze.

Emma nodded with a small smile. She wasn't expecting to come home to find that her son and mom had been taken. She was a little bit in shock and wasn't sure what to do at the moment. She just stood there unable to move or talk.

Charming was lost in his own thoughts while comforting his son who had started to cry that he didn't notice how quiet Emma was being until he turned around to see her still in the same spot as she had been when Neal left. She looked like she was shock. "Emma." Charming said slowly in a concerned voice before walking over to her. "Emma." Charming repeated softly.

"What are we going to do?" Emma asked as she looked up to her father who was right in front of her holding her brother.

"We will find them, but we won't be able to do anything right now. It sounds like the boys have been out looking for them. We will find them. I promise." Charming said and then pulled Emma into a side hug. Leo reached out his hand towards Emma and Emma smiled as she took his hand.

Charming feared that King George would try to come for either Emma or Leo or both of them. He was going to do what he could to keep them safe and get Snow and Henry back. He was mostly concerned that Emma would run off alone to go try to find them. He would have to keep an eye on her in order to keep her safe from King George.

Charming kissed Emma's head before pulling away from her. "Why don't you go clean up and we can go get something from Granny's. We can get some information on what has gone on while we weren't here and see if we can get information on Snow and Henry."

"Do I really look that bad?" Emma said with a chuckle.

"Yes, I'm so glad Snow won't see you like this." Charming said teasingly.

"She could if we took a picture." Emma joked.

"No pictures!" Charming said quickly.

Emma gave him a mischievous smile before heading upstairs to get clean clothes to take a shower.

Charming shook his head, but then was thinking he would happily endure the wrath of his wife over her being kidnapped any day. He hoped they were okay wherever they were. If they weren't, King George would pay.

*****OUAT*****

Snow and Henry were in the basement of the abandoned home in the middle of the forest. King George's men had left them in the basement. The basement was dark besides a little window at the top of the basement wall, which without the sunshine made the basement pitch black.

"Grams, how are we going to get out of here?" Henry asked in a quiet voice after the men had left. The men didn't think to tie them up further than their hands that were still tied up.

"First, we are going to see if we can reach the window up there and then we will try the door, but let's try to get these ropes off first. Turn around and I'll untie yours and then you can untie mine." Snow whispered to Henry.

"Okay." Henry replied feeling a little better that his grandmother had a plan.

Snow was able to untie Henry's hands and then Henry quickly untied his grandmother. Then Snow grabbed Henry's arm to lead him over to the window she had seen when they first got there.

"You know that wasn't very smart on their part to leave us loose down here." Henry said with a smirk.

"Well if it was King George, we would both tied up away from each other, but his men don't seem like they have common sense to do that." Snow replied with her own smirk.

Snow found a table that she was able to scoot over to where the window was. She climbed up on it to reach the window. "Now, we just have to see if we can get this open." Snow said as she felt the window for a way to open it.

"Will it open?" Henry asked.

"I don't think it opens this way, but that doesn't mean we can't break it." Snow replied. " Henry can you look around to see if you can find something I can break it with?" Snow added.

"Sure." Henry replied as he blindly looked around the basement for anything to break the window with. After a few minutes of searching, he went back to his grandma. "I can't find anything, Grams." Henry said in a disappointed voice.

Snow climbed down and found Henry. "It's okay we will find a way out of here. Let's try the basement door, but we have to be quiet or else we maybe heard." Snow said quietly as she took a hold of Henry's hand and started walking up the stairs.

They reached the door and quietly turned the doorknob. At first, Snow thought it was going to open, but then she found out it was locked. She turned to Henry and whispered, "Step down a few steps. I'm going to try to break it down."

Henry did as he was told and went down a couple of the stairs.

Snow slammed with all her might into the door. She knew that if she didn't get it open that the noise would alert King George, so she did her best to try to knock it down without falling down the stairs. She tried to use her foot to break down the door, but the door was thicker than she thought it was.

Suddenly the door swung open to reveal an angry King George. "Oh you think you are going to escape do you?" King George said before pushing Snow down the stairs, which consequently brought Henry down with her.

"Henry! Henry! Are you okay?" Snow yelled as she crawled over to her grandson.

"Yeah, just bumped my head, I think." Henry said as he sat up.

King George came down the stairs carrying chains. "Now let's see you get out of these." King George sneered as he quickly snapped a brass cuff on Snow's arm before hooking the chain to the opposite wall.

"Get away from her!" Henry said as he barreled into King George.

"Oh I see you have inherited your mom's feistiness!" King George said, slightly amused as he grabbed Henry's arm and snapped another brass cuff to Henry's wrist. He quickly hooked the chain to the wall beside the wall Snow was connected to. He then stalked back up the stairs and slammed the door leaving Snow and Henry in complete darkness.

Snow could hear King George locking the door after he had shut it. "Henry, are you sure you are okay?" Snow asked as she squinted to see where Henry was.

"Yeah, just have a headache." Henry said as he tried to move closer to where he thought his grandma was sitting.

Somehow, Snow and Henry managed to meet in the corner of the basement because the chains were long enough. Henry sat next to his grandma and leaned his head against her shoulder.

"I wish we were home celebrating." Henry said quietly as he felt a tear slide down his cheek.

"Me too, Henry. Me too." Snow replied as she put her free arm around Henry and patted his head before placing a kiss on the side of his forehead. "We will get home. I believe in your grandpa and mom. They will find us and get us out of here."

"Because this family always finds each other." Henry finished for his grandma. "I believe to, but..." Henry paused.

"What is it, Henry?" Snow asked softly.

"I just miss my mom and grandpa. I'm just tired of being separated from them." Henry said as more tears streamed down his face and then let out a small little cry.

"Oh Henry." Snow said as she held Henry a little tighter as he cried. She couldn't help, but let out a couple of tears of her own because she felt the same way. She held it together though, for Henry and didn't completely break down. Her heart broke for her grandson as she tried her best to comfort him. All she could do was be there for him as he cried and reassure him that they would get out of this to be with their family again.

After a while, Henry's cries lessened until all Snow could hear was a quiet, even breaths. He had fallen asleep. She kissed his head and then knelt her head on top of his head. Then she too fell asleep finally letting her exhaustion take over her. Snow's last thought, as she drifted off to sleep was a silent plea to her husband, _find us. _

*****OUAT*****

Charming didn't realize it would take so long for them to get ready to go out, but when you included in a daughter that loves taking showers, a son who needs a whole bag full of stuff to take to just go out to dinner, and then having to suffer through a cold shower thanks to a certain daughter, it takes a little longer than one would think. They finally made it to the diner a little after 8. They quickly order food after Granny and Ruby stopped smothering them with hugs. As they waited for their food, Ruby filled them in on everything she knew had happen in Storybrooke since they had been gone. It was pretty similar to Neal's account of what happened. By the time, she was finished their food was ready so Ruby left them to sit down at their booth. Emma sat on one side holding Leo while he sat on the other side. For the most part, they ate in silence because they were both exhausted from their full day of riding horses, fighting dragons, jumping through portals, and finding out that their loved ones had been taken.

Charming looked over at Emma who looked so tired as she picked at her food. She almost looked too tired to eat. He saw her wince and mentally kicked himself for not thinking of how her head must be hurting from her fall earlier. "I'll be right back, Emma." Charming said suddenly as he went to the counter.

Emma looked up as her father left and then murmured to Leo. "Wonder what that was about? You don't know either? Well, I'm sure we will figure out soon. Just a little heads up kid, daddy and mommy are a bit crazy, but we love them anyway."

Leo babbled something before Emma responded. "Oh you figured that out too? Oh also Daddy doesn't like it when you try to jump over logs with your horse after he told you not to." Emma paused before adding, "don't tell mommy that though. Mom wouldn't appreciate it either."

"What wouldn't she appreciate?" Charming asked as he slid into the booth.

"Oh nothing. Right, Leo?" Emma said with a wink and a smile.

Charming looked unconvinced as he raised an eyebrow at his children, but then smiled at how cute Emma was being with her little brother. "Here take these, Emma." Charming said as he remember the pills he had gotten for Emma's headache. Luckily, Granny had some on hand.

Emma blinked and then took the pills from her father. Then she smiled as she looked at Leo and said, "Told ya." Then she popped the pills in her mouth as she watched her father raise an eyebrow at them trying to figure out what she was talking about. They wouldn't tell, this was a secret between brother and sister. She smiled as she went back to picking at her food. She was almost too tired to eat, but she had missed the food from Granny's.

About 15 minutes later, Charming knew that it was time to head home because Emma was leaning her head on her hand while holding Leo in her other arm. She was closing her eyes every once in awhile, but then would open them really quick as she realized she almost fell asleep. Charming was able to get news from Grumpy about how their search went and they made plans for tomorrow. They planned to start out early and see if they had missed anything from the day before.

Charming walked over to Emma, who currently had her eyes closed, and took Leo out of her arms. "Emma, let's go home." Charming said.

Emma jumped a little as she realized she actually fell asleep. "But we have to see how the search went and we have to find them." Emma panicked.

"I already talked to Grumpy and made plans to start looking again tomorrow morning. We can't do anything tonight and you need to get some sleep." Charming said softly.

Emma nodded, then got out of the booth and grabbed the diaper bag.

Charming put his free arm around Emma's shoulders as they walked to the truck.

Emma so wanted to lean her head against her father's arm because it felt like lead, but refrained since she was in public. As they got to the truck, her father opened the door and quickly put Leo in his car seat, buckling him up. Then moved out of the way for her to get in and then closed the door for her. She then put her arm up against the truck window and leaned her head on her hand. That was the last thing she remembered doing before they got home.

Charming looked over a couple of minutes later to see that both of his children were asleep. He chuckled softly to himself at how cute they both looked. They were both his babies and he loved them so much.

"Emma, we're home." Charming gently shook Emma awake a couple of minutes later. She groaned before blinking her eyes open.

It took a second for Emma to get her bearings, but then she nodded her head before getting out of the truck with some help from her father. As the cold air hit her, she woke up a little more and thought of Henry and Snow. She hoped they were inside somewhere, out of the cold.

Charming wondered how awake his daughter was as she got out of the truck. He quickly and carefully got Leo out of his car seat. He quietly shut the truck door as he held a sleeping Leo in his arms. He turned to Emma and they quietly walked inside.

Charming put Leo in the crib next to his bed before going back into the kitchen. Emma was sitting at the table looking rather exhausted. "Emma, go on up to bed." Charming said softly, but firmly.

"I should go out and look for mom and Henry." Emma said almost to herself as she stood up and started for the door.

"Emma, sit down." Charming said sternly.

"But I have to..." Emma said, but sat down anyway.

"There isn't anything we can do right now. It's dark out and you are exhausted. You need to rest up so that you can look tomorrow with us." Charming said firmly as he looked at Emma.

"I guess you are right." Emma said quietly.

"Emma." Charming said a moment later when Emma was still sitting at the table.

Emma looked up at her father.

"It's time for bed." Charming said with a soft smile at his tired daughter.

Emma nodded as she slowly got up and started for the stairs to head to her room. It was only 9:40, yet she was so tired. She turned around to almost protest to going to bed so earlier, but before she had a chance to say anything her father spoke.

"Go on." Charming said softly, encouraging his daughter to go to bed. Emma turned around and started to head up the stairs. "Goodnight, Emma."

"Night." Emma mumbled back tiredly.

Charming smiled before heading to the kitchen to get a drink from the fridge. He sat down on the couch. He wasn't quite ready to go to bed and he wasn't as exhausted as Emma. He turned the TV on because he just needed something that would take his mind off his troubles. Since they found out about Snow and Henry's kidnapping, he had been constantly worrying over them and worrying about Emma and Leo's safety. He felt like there was a pain in his heart that was trying to pull him towards Snow. He could feel Snow telling him to _find us. _Like Emma, he wished he could go out and start looking for them, but he knew that it was always best to wait till morning when you could see more of the tracks. He had looked forward to seeing his wife and grandson tonight and it was such a disappointed that they were still separated. He just wanted his family to be together and safe.

Charming turned his attention to the TV and tried to forget his worries for a moment, but it was useless, no matter what Snow and Henry were on his mind. _I will find you and Henry. I promise, Snow. _

*****OUAT*****

Emma tossed and turned, waiting for sleep to take her. She couldn't understand how she could still be awake when she was so terribly tired. She couldn't seem to stop her mind from thinking about Henry and her mom. She also felt bad for sleeping when she knew they were trapped somewhere. She didn't like being up in her room alone, not because she was scared, but because It just made her miss Henry more. It made her feel alone and in the enchanted forest, she was nearby her dad when she was sleeping. She felt like if she were around him she would know that everything would be okay.

She debated whether to go downstairs, at least to sleep on the couch a little closer to her dad and brother, but then groaned thinking that she should just go to sleep. She was 30 after all, she shouldn't need her dad to help her sleep or to make everything better.

She tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't. She didn't like being upstairs without Henry. She got up and walked downstairs not giving it a second thought until she got downstairs. She almost turned around as she saw her father still awake.

Charming looked up as he heard Emma coming down the stairs. It had only been a half hour since she went up and he figured she would have been out before her head had hit the pillow.

"Emma, what are you doing up?" Charming chided quietly.

Emma walked over to her dad and sat down on the couch next to him putting her head on his shoulder before murmuring to him, "I don't like being up there, it's lonely without Henry."

Charming put his arm around Emma and she snuggled into his side. He understood what she was saying, but also knew his daughter needed sleep desperately. He watched TV for a little while longer with Emma snuggled up beside him. He was trying to decide what to do with her since she didn't want to sleep in her own room. He could only think of one solution so after a couple more minutes he whispered to Emma, who surprisingly was awake, "come on sweetheart, let's go to bed." He scooped Emma up in his arms and carried her over to Snow's side of the bed and laid her down pulling the covers over her. He then got ready for bed, made sure the door was locked, and then got into bed as well.

Emma tried to fall asleep once again thinking now she would be able to finally sleep since she was near both her dad and brother, but she couldn't turn her mind off, the thoughts just kept coming like a never-ending train. It just didn't make sense, she was exhausted she should have been asleep an hour ago when her dad carried and put her in bed. She opened her eyes to see that her dad looked like he was sleeping.

The tears that were streaming down her face were a testament to how tired she really was. She just hated that after everything they did they came home to find out that her mom and son had been taken by King George. Would it ever be over? Emma sniffled a little as she cried almost silently.

Charming wasn't sure why, but he woke up with the need to check on Emma. He opened his eyes to see Emma crying on the other side of the bed. She wasn't making any noise and she probably figured that he was asleep. "Emma, what's wrong?" Charming whispered, not wanting to wake up his son.

Emma looked over to see her dad looking at her concerned. She didn't realize he was awake. "I can't sleep." Emma paused.

Charming knew that wasn't all so he waited patiently for her to say what she needed to say.

"Is this ever going to end? I miss them, I wish they were here." Emma said quietly as tears continued down her cheeks.

"Come here, Emma." Charming said as he reached for her.

Emma scooted over to him and he put his arms around her, holding her to his chest as she cried into his shirt. "It will be over soon, I'll make sure of that, Emma." Charming reassured Emma. He felt Emma nod into his chest, but kept crying. "Just let it out, baby, let it out." Charming whispered.

Emma couldn't help, but to cry her heart out as her father continued to hold her. She didn't know how long she cried, but she knew that she would finally be able to sleep.

Charming stroked Emma's back as she cried and when her crying had slowed he murmured quietly to her, "go to sleep, Emma."

"Goodnight, daddy." Emma mumbled tiredly as she gave up the fight to stay awake.

Charming's heart just leapt in his chest as he heard his daughter call him daddy. It was barely audible, but he had heard it and he would always cherish and remember this moment till the day he died. "Goodnight, princess." Charming said as he kissed Emma's head as a single tear ran down his cheek.

**Please Review! :) **

(Sorry if this one was a little sad, hopefully some of the cute parts made up for it :) )


	14. Creating Havoc

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 14! This chapter for some reason wasn't coming out how I wanted it to, but I think it is okay now. And the next chapter is practical written from a while ago; I just have to add in a few scenes and edited it. :) Hope you like this chapter! Thanks for the reviews! I love reading them! Enjoy! :) **

**Creating Havoc**

"So what did you find out?" King George rudely asked his men as they walked back into the house.

"They made it back. We saw them at the diner. David was asking questions about Snow's and Henry's disappearance." The smaller man answered.

"Tommy, I want you to head back to town and watch them. When David leaves them, we will kidnap them. Call me when he leaves." King George said with a sick grin on his face.

"Are we kidnapping Emma and her brother?" Tommy asked.

"Actually. I have a better plan." King George snickered before informing Tommy and Ricky of his new plan to create havoc in Charming's life.

*****OUAT*****

David blinked open his eyes to see that it wasn't quite dawn yet. Emma was nestled into his side sleeping soundly. She must have latched on to his shirt last night because she had a fistful of his shirt in her hand. His arm was draped loosely over her as she slept. In a little bit, he would have to get up. He had planned to meet Grumpy and Hook at 6:30 at Granny's. He still wasn't sure if he was going to wake Emma. She really needed sleep and to be honest, he wanted her safe at home. Knowing Emma like he does, he knew that he wouldn't be able to keep her at home, but maybe he could get her to sleep a little longer.

He looked at his daughter and smiled before he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. Emma unconsciously snuggled further into his side causing Charming to smile again. He tightened his arm around her before he closed his eyes again, hoping to sleep for a little while longer.

Before David realized it, he was waking up again. He looked at the time, _5:45_, he needed to get up. He carefully got out of bed, trying his best not to wake his daughter. He covered her up with the blanket and tucked her in. He brushed Emma's hair out of her face before heading to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee.

After Charming had gotten ready, he quickly wrote a note to Emma and laid it beside her. He leaned down a put a kiss on her forehead before checking on his son, who was also asleep.

He quietly left the apartment and locked both locks to make sure they both would be safe while he was gone. Emma might be a little mad when she found out he didn't wake her, but he wouldn't be gone for long.

*****OUAT*****

Emma blinked her eyes open and found that it was hard to move. She looked down at the covers. "Seriously? You had to tuck me in?" Emma said out loud. Then she looked around to see that her dad wasn't anywhere. That's when she noticed the note beside her. She managed to get her arm out of the covers to pick up the note.

_Emma,_

_I went to Granny's to meet Grumpy and Hook. I'll be back soon. Take care of your brother and stay put._

_Love,_

_ Dad_

Emma sighed and looked over at the clock, which read 7:15. She crawled out of bed determined to not stay put and started to leave her parents' room to go get ready when her brother started crying. Emma closed her eyes before turning around to go to Leo. She picked Leo up out of his crib.

"Are you on Daddy's side or mine?" Emma asked her kid brother with a smirk. "How about we get ready and meet him at Granny's, show him that we can take care of ourselves?" Emma said with a mischievous grin.

*****OUAT*****

Charming walked up the stairs to the loft. He had only been gone for an hour and he hoped Emma hadn't woken up. After briefly talking with Grumpy and Hook, the three of them went out to see if anything was missed the day before around the station. Hook and Grumpy went to check out the school grounds for any sign of what happen to Henry while Charming looked from the station to Granny's for any sign of Snow's kidnapping. When he found nothing and he stopped in Granny's to get Emma some breakfast before he returned to his truck and headed home.

He went into the loft and didn't expect what he found.

"Emma. What are you doing?" Charming said as he saw his daughter who had just gathered Leo in her arms and grabbed the diaper bag. She looked like she was just about to leave the loft.

"Ah crap." Emma said out loud as she saw her Dad. "Um, I, um I mean we, were just getting ready to leave, for when you got back."

Charming gave her a look that said, 'I totally know what you were doing.' "Emma." Charming said slowly in a disapproving tone. "You were about to leave." Charming stated.

"We would have been fine." Emma replied stubbornly. "I can take care of myself." Emma added.

"I know you can, but it would be a little harder with your brother." Charming said as he put down the food on the table. "Emma, until we take care of King George, I don't want you to go out on your own." Charming said as he looked into Emma's eyes.

Emma was about to tell her father again that she could take care of herself, but the look in his eyes stopped to her. He was afraid that King George would take her and he was just trying to protect her. She couldn't promise that she would do what he asked, but she wouldn't fight him on it. "Okay." Emma reluctantly answered.

Charming was taken back by Emma's agreement. It was too easy to convince her, which made him believe she wasn't totally on board. He would let it go for now, but he had a feeling that they would be discussing this again. "Here, I brought you some breakfast." Charming replied with a skeptical look on his face.

_Crap. He doesn't believe me. _Emma thought as she looked into the bag. "A bear claw! Perfect." Emma said with a smile as she picked up the bear claw and took a bite out of it.

Charming rolled his eyes and then smiled. His daughter's love of bear claws or any food was a bit funny to him.

"This almost makes up for you not waking me up this morning." Emma said in between bites.

Charming sighed before handing her the hot chocolate with cinnamon.

Emma raised her eyebrows and then smiled. "This helps."

Charming chuckled before he went and took Leo from his daughter.

"So what's the plan?" Emma asked before she took another drink of her hot chocolate.

"Well I would prefer it if you stayed here and watched your brother while I went out to search for your mom and Henry." Charming started, but when he got a defiant and stubborn look from his daughter he said, "but I can see that won't happen so we will have to drop Leo off with Granny. She already agreed to watch him."

"What are we waiting for then?" Emma asked as she grabbed the hot chocolate and the diaper bag again.

"Let's go then." Charming replied with a smile at Emma's eagerness to get her family back.

*****OUAT*****

King George and his men were about to walk up to the loft to kidnap Emma and Leo when they saw David and Emma with Leo walking out of the building to David's truck.

"I thought you said the David wasn't with them!" King George spat at Tommy.

"He wasn't. I saw him leave, but he must have come back again." Tommy answered.

"We made have to force our agenda on them eventually if we can't get David away from them." King George said. "Stay and watch them. As soon as you see David leave Emma call me."

Tommy nodded as he started after the Charmings while King George headed off back to the abandoned house.

*****OUAT*****

After Emma and Charming had dropped Leo off and enlisted Ruby's help, they went to meet up with Hook and Grumpy. Neal and Rumple were already searching for Snow and Henry. They decided that Ruby, Emma, and David would start searching the forest and the cabins they knew were out there. Meanwhile, Grumpy and Hook would stay in town and look out for anything that was out of the ordinary and to watch out for King George's men.

"We looked everywhere Emma. We are going to have to regroup and think of any other places that King George might have them." Charming said as they drove back to town after a long day of searching and only finding a little bit of scuffling that could or could not have been Snow or Henry. It didn't lead anywhere.

"We had to have missed something. We have to go back." Emma argued.

"Emma, even if we did go back we wouldn't be able to see anything because it's dark out. Also we need to pick your brother up he has been with Granny all day." Charming said in a defeated voice.

"Why don't you pick him up and drop me off at my car? I can go back out and look for them. There are things called flashlights that help in the dark." Emma said sarcastically.

Charming looked over at Emma a look that clearly said he wasn't in the mood for her sarcasm. "No, Emma. He wants you to go out alone so that he can get you too. I'm not going to give him that chance." Charming said stubbornly.

"That's just a theory. He may just want Leo and not me." Emma debated.

"Well I'm not risking your safety." Charming said firmly.

Emma knew he was done arguing about it from the tone of his voice. She wanted to tell him that she could handle herself, but stopped herself because she knew it wouldn't get her anywhere. She had a sneaking feeling that her father wasn't going to let her out of his sight unless she was at home. He was being so overly protective it was beyond annoying, but she had to tolerate it because he was so worried about her and Leo. Not to mention that strain she could see on him from his wife and grandson being missing as well. She didn't necessarily want to add to his stress and worry, but she was also worried about her son and mother.

After picking Leo up, the trio headed home to their loft. Emma started to search the kitchen for something she could make for dinner.

"What are you doing?" Charming asked after putting Leo in his playpen.

"Trying to find something to make for dinner." Emma said as she continued to search for something that she could make, which meant it had to be something easy or microwaveable.

"You're going to cook?" Charming asked with a little bit of worry and surprise in his voice.

"Don't act so surprised." Emma said slightly offended.

"I'll get the fire extinguisher ready..." Charming teased.

"Oh come on, we only needed that once." Emma replied with a frown.

Charming chuckled. "Umm actually it was twice. Once with the popcorn you set on fire from the microwave and then the turkey you insisted on making for Thanksgiving without the help of your mom."

"Well we won't need it this time. I'm only making grilled cheese." Emma said.

"Hm." Charming said as he bit his lip.

"What?" Emma said with an annoyed glare.

"Well just remember you have to watch them and flip them over." Charming said with a smirk.

Emma narrowed her eyes at her father before she started to get stuff out for her grilled cheese. Charming went out of the loft to the hallway before coming back in.

Emma turned around to see her dad putting the fire extinguisher on the island. "Really?"

"Just being prepared. I don't think your mother would appreciate it if I let you burn the building down." Charming said with a grin before he ducked when Emma threw a towel at him.

*****OUAT*****

King George stalked down to the basement where his prisoners were being kept. "Well you will be happy to know that your dear Charming and Emma made it back to Storybrooke." King George said.

"Good." Snow said with a smile at the thought of Charming and Emma finally being home.

"And soon you will be getting some more company." King George said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" Snow said as feared seized her heart.

"Oh my men and I are on our way to go get your precious son." King George said with a grin.

Snow had it and King George was close enough to kick so she swing out her legs and kicked him. It effectively brought him down to floor where Snow tackled him as best she could with being chained to the wall. "Don't you dare touch my son!" Snow roared in anger.

Before Snow knew it she was being roughly picked up and thrown into the wall. Last thing she heard was Henry yelling, "grandma," before she blacked out.

*****OUAT*****

"See we didn't need it and they are hardly burnt." Emma said with a triumphant grin.

Charming smiled. "You did a good job, Emma." Charming responded.

"Do you think we can put the fire extinguisher away now?" Emma asked.

"Are you planning on making popcorn tonight?" Charming asked.

"No..." Emma said slowly.

"Then yes we can put it away." Charming said as he went to put the fire extinguisher back in the hallway.

As Charming came back in, his phone started to vibrate on the table. He quickly went over and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hi, is this David?" A man's voice answered.

"Yes, who is this?" Charming asked.

"Oh I'm Tommy. I just wanted to let you know that I overheard a conversation by two men in the rabbit hole. They were whispering to each other, but I heard them saying something about 'keeping them in the mines'. Then I heard them saying 'Henry'. I knew that your wife and grandson were missing so I figured you would want to know what I heard." Tommy explained over the phone.

"Yes, thank you. How long ago did you hear them talking?" Charming asked with excitement in his voice.

"It was just a few minutes ago, I thought you would want to know right away." Tommy said through the phone.

"Thank you so much." Charming said again.

"It was my pleasure." Tommy said kindly before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Emma asked, seeing the excitement in her father's eyes. It had to be good news.

"A guy named Tommy who over heard a conversation that was possible about Snow and Henry. He said that they said they were being held in the mines." Charming relayed the information to Emma.

"What are we waiting for, let's go!" Emma said as she started for the door.

"Emma, you need to stay here with Leo. We can't leave him alone. I'll go check it out. We aren't even sure if it really was about them." Charming said as he grabbed his coat.

"We can get someone to come watch him." Emma started to argue.

"Emma, we don't have time. If I find anything, I'll let you know, but you need to stay here and protect Leo. King George still will be after you or him or both of you, so I need you to stay here and make sure nothing happens to him. Okay?" Charming said, hoping Emma would agree to stay.

Emma hesitated. She wanted to protect Leo, but she also wanted to help save Snow and Henry. "Okay. I'll stay, but if you need me let me know and I could drop him off with Ruby." Emma said reluctantly.

"I will." Charming said with relief. "Bolt the door after I leave." Charming said before leaving the loft.

Emma nodded and after he left she bolted the door like he had asked.

It had only been 15 minutes since he left, but Emma was pacing waiting for any news from her father. She hated waiting especially when her family was in danger. She should be with her father. What if it's a trap and something happens to him? What if they are there and he isn't able to overpower King George to save them?

Emma quickly grabbed her phone to call for backup for her dad. She may not be able to be there, but if he needed help, he would have it. She was able to get Grumpy, Neal and Hook to help him. She felt slightly better, but she couldn't stop pacing the length of the apartment.

It had been 47 minutes since he left and she still hadn't heard from him. She was starting to think she may need to go after him when she heard someone coming up the stairs. _He's home. He's safe. _Emma thought as she started towards the door from the living area, but before she got there the door slammed open. She was frozen for second because she realized it wasn't her dad, but it was King George and two men. She looked across the room to see Leo, she had to protect him at all costs so she ran towards the three men, and punching the first man she came to.

After getting a couple of good punches and kicks to the men, the bigger man came after her and picked her up and threw her across the room.

Emma didn't realize what happen before she was flying through the air, over the table and feeling herself slam into the edge of the kitchen island before falling to the ground in a heap. She could feel the pain radiating from her back from where she had hit the edge of the island and knew that something popped when she landed on the floor. She couldn't let a few injuries stop her from protecting Leo so she started to get up, but the strong man came over and started to deliver swift kicks to her stomach that left Emma breathless and in pain. She tried to prevent the kicks with her arms, but then she remembered her gun. She picked it up where it had landed when she had fallen and started to aim it when King George came over and kicked it out of her hand. Emma started to reach for it again, but a scream left her lips as King George stepped on her hand.

Emma could hear Leo in the background crying as King George kicked her a few more times out of anger. When Emma thought she couldn't take it anymore, King George stopped.

"Why did you even try? It is obvious you were outnumber." King George with a smirk as he stared down at where she was curled up in a ball holding her stomach. King George then motioned for Tommy to get Leo from the crib. Emma watched in horror as one of the men picked him up and she tried to get off the floor. "Get away from him!" Emma yelled through her pain.

"It looks like your Daddy was wrong to trust you to take care of his son. You failed miserably, Ms. Swan." King George said with a smirk.

"I haven't failed yet." Emma said through gritted teeth as she stood and swung out at King George, effectively punching him in the jaw.

The bigger man came over and punched Emma in the jaw sending her back against the island.

"Why did you knock her out? I still need to talk to her!" King George said with anger to Ricky as he looked at an unconscious Emma.

Ricky shrugged his shoulders thinking that he was just trying to help King George.

Emma came around after a minute and started to get up once again seeing that the smaller man was holding Leo.

King George motioned to the bigger man to make sure she didn't get up. Ricky went over and kicked her back down and put his foot on top of her.

Emma struggled under his foot that was putting weight on her already sore ribs, but it was no use because he had her trapped to the floor. "What are you waiting for? Why don't you just take me? Just leave him alone, he is only a baby." Emma pleaded.

King George chuckled. "Who said we were taking you? Everyone knows who Charming and Snow White's favorite child is and I hate to break it to you, but it's not you. You are worthless to me, but your brother on the other hand, will destroy your father. Too bad you couldn't save your brother, your father is going to resent you even more now and blame you for this." King George said with an conniving smile.

"He isn't like that." Emma said, but she already felt the guilt over her failure to protect her brother and part of her believed King George. Why wouldn't he resent her?

"You will see that Leo here is more important to your parents than you could ever be to them. You are worthless and whatever value you had was lost in those 28 years that you spent in this world. You are messed up beyond repair and who wants to deal with that especially when they have a chance to start from scratch. I almost feel bad for you. Almost." King George paused for effect. "Maybe I could make a deal with you. If you will trade yourself in to me, I will release your family so that they can live happily ever after. They have gotten along without you for what 28 years? They could get over losing you and then your father wouldn't resent you. I'll give you 24 hours to take my offer or else your father will lose everyone, but you, who he will resent for the rest of his life. But it's your choice, you can be selfish or you can save your family. I'll send you my number if you decide to trade your life for your family's lives." King George finished with another smirk before nodding to the big man again. He wanted to create a rift between father and daughter or at least get Emma to believe their us a rift between them. Ultimately, he knew that Emma was very special to her parents and in order to destroy Charming's happiness he would have to do away with the savior. He just enjoyed the drama he could create with his destruction of the shepherd's life.

The man took his foot off of Emma and was about to turn to leave when Emma started to sit up to try again.

Ricky saw her get up and swung his arm out, hitting Emma hard in the chest causing her to fly back into the kitchen island before he grabbed the gun and hit Emma with it.

Emma felt the pain from the blow and saw King George and his men leaving with Leo before she blacked out thinking, _I failed him. _

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. _Emma's phone started to vibrate on the kitchen table, but Emma would not hear it.

**Please Review! **


	15. I'll Fix This

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 15! I seriously meant to get this out so much sooner! Life she got so much more busier this last week! :( Well here it is! Hope you like it! Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy! :) **

**I'll fix this **

"Grandma!" Henry whispered with fear evident in his voice. He had crawled over to her after King George have left and tried to see if she was okay, but she hadn't respond to him. "Grandma." Henry repeated as he shook her shoulder.

Snow moaned as she came to.

"Grams, are you okay?" Henry asked as he noticed she was waking up.

"Yeah, Henry. I'm okay." Snow said as she sat up with her hand on the back of her head.

"But you were out for a long time, Grams!" Henry exclaimed with worry.

"I just hit my head, Henry. I'll be fine." Snow replied with a sad smile for how worried Henry was over her. She leaned back against the wall and put her arm around Henry. "It's okay, sweetie."

Henry leaned against his Grandma. He had been really worried about her. He had never seen her like that and it scared him. "Okay."

As they sat against the wall, Snow started to worry about Leo. She hoped that Charming and Emma would have prevented them from getting to him. She wondered why King George didn't say he was getting Emma. It was confusing to her. King George wouldn't just leave Emma out of this so that meant he was up to something and it wasn't good. King George liked to mess with people with his words and stir their insecurities. She was so worried about them and her head was pounding from the injury to her head, but she had to stay strong for Henry. He was scared and she needed to comfort him.

*****OUAT*****

They had found nothing in the mines. They had searched for the last hour and half looking for any sign of Snow and Henry, but had found nothing. They parted ways after they all agreed that either King George had moved them or the man had heard incorrectly.

As Charming started home, he thought of Emma and how she was probably worried. So he picked up his phone and tried to call her. "Emma, pick up." Charming said after the phone rang three times. The phone went to Emma's voicemail so he left a quick messaging saying they didn't find a trace of Snow or Henry in the mines. He told her he was on his way home and that he would be there in a little bit.

As Charming drove home, he kept glancing at his phone wondering why Emma hadn't called him back. He tried not to panic. _Maybe she just fell asleep or her phone isn't on her, _he tells himself, to push down the worry he is starting to feel. He drove a little faster just in case there was a reason why she hadn't called him back.

After a few minutes, he calls Emma again, hoping she will answer and tell him that she is fine. But, her phone goes to voicemail again. This time he doesn't leave a message, but drives even faster.

After Charming reached the loft, he parked quickly and rushed into the building.

Charming comes to see the door to the loft had been forced open and immediately he panicked thinking that King George took his children. Charming looked around for a sign of Emma or Leo. At first he didn't see them, but then he saw Emma in a crumpled heap under the island completely knocked out. He rushed over to her, thankful that she wasn't taken, but worried about her possible injuries.

"Emma, Emma." Charming began as he touched her face and stroked her hair. She slowly came around with a pounding headache.

She looked up at David confused. "Emma, what happen?" David said quickly, knowing that King George must have done this to his daughter and taken his son.

"Where's Leo?" David asked forcefully as he sat Emma up a little.

"King George." Emma managed to say with dread, she failed to protect him and now her father would resent her just like King George had predicted.

David got up quickly. He knew it. King George had taken his son and hurt his daughter. He was beyond mad at King George. He started to pace the room as he thought of how to get his family back. What he didn't understand was why King George hadn't taken Emma. King George knew how special she was to both him and Snow.

Emma watched as her father paced and she could tell he was furious. She had to fix this. It was her fault that his son was now unsafe. He had trusted her to keep him safe and she had failed. But she knew what she had to do; she would give her life to make this right, to save her family. She got up the best she could despite her injuries, which were painful yet not as painful as the thought of her father hating her for what she did. She could feel his disappointment and resentment towards her. "I'm sorry. I'll fix this. I'll get your son back..." Emma struggled to say as she started to walk towards the door. She ignored the protests her body was giving her with every step she took. She had to do this and that required forgetting what she needed. She couldn't be selfish.

Charming was pulled out of his reverie when he heard Emma talking and looked over to see her walking to the door. He could tell she was in the pain from the amount of effort it was taking her to just walk across the room. "Emma, you can't go anywhere you are hurt." Charming said wondering how hard she hit her head and how she thought she could fix it.

"It doesn't matter, King George said he would let them go if I traded by life for theirs. So that's what I'm going to do. Don't worry you'll get your son, I'll fix this...I'll fix this..." Emma said through labored breaths as she continued to the door.

Charming was stunned at his daughter's words and couldn't move as fear for his daughter's safety consumed him. She was obviously blaming herself, but King George must have planted doubt in her and a way to draw her to give herself up. He wasn't going to let that happen. He rushed over to Emma who had just made it to the door and stepped in front of her. "Emma. You aren't going anywhere. I won't allow it. We will save them, but not by sacrificing your life." Charming said sternly as he gripped Emma's arms.

"This is my fault. I need to fix it. Let me fix it. Then you won't hate me for what I did." Emma said in an emotional voice that was close to tears.

"Emma, this isn't your fault. King George did this and I'm furious with him. But, I don't hate you. I could never hate you." Charming said firmly, trying to convince his daughter that he wasn't blaming her.

Emma couldn't help the tears that started to come. "But, this is my fault. You resent me, don't you? You would rather have Leo here then me. I'll make this up to you, I promise. You'll get them back, I'll give him what he wants. I'll fix this." Emma replied as she tried to get past her father.

Charming wouldn't let her pass him, instead he picked her up in his arms. "Emma Ruth Swan, I don't resent you or blame you or hate you. This isn't your fault. King George did this and wants you to feel guilty. He wants you to play right into his trap, but I'm not going to let you do it." Charming said firmly as he held Emma in his arms.

Emma looked into her father's eyes trying to detect a lie, but she couldn't find any reason not to believe his words. She couldn't help the tears that were still streaming down her face. "But aren't you mad at me?" She asked with fear, waiting for the resentment to surface.

"No, sweetie. I know that you did everything you could to save him and who I'm mad at is King George because he hurt my daughter and took my son, my wife, and my grandson. I'm not mad at you, Emma." Charming replied a little more softly, feeling the fight start to leave Emma. He could see that she was more injured than he had thought and completely exhausted. He walked over to the table and sat down in one of the chairs with Emma still in his arms.

Emma was starting to realize she overreacted and let King George mess with her head, but she also knew that she still should offer herself so that she could save her family. It was what a hero would do, but she also knew her father wasn't going to let her do it.

Charming knew his daughter and could tell she was realizing that she had been played by King George, but he was afraid that Emma would still try to save their family by turning herself in to King George. He knew that even if she did that, that King George wouldn't let the rest of his family go. "Emma. Look at me." Charming began, in a stern voice. He waited for her to look at him. "Under no circumstance are you to turn yourself into King George. He is not a man of his word. Just because he says he would let them go doesn't mean he would actually do it." Charming explained.

"I can't be that selfish. I can't stand by when I could save them. I have to save them." Emma argued. She was a little surprised that he had known she would try to do it anyway.

"We will save them, but we will do it together and not by his rules." Charming said firmly, but couldn't quite tell if Emma was on board or if she still was convinced that this was the only way to get them back.

Emma knew what he was saying and could tell he was worried that she would go give herself up, but she would regret if she never saw them again all because she was selfish. She couldn't be that person, but she needed to convince her father that she wouldn't go.

Charming could see the determination in his daughter's eyes and it scared him. " Emma, you aren't to go after him without me. We do this together. Do you understand?" Charming asked as he turned Emma's face towards him so he could look in her eyes. When she hesitated, Charming became a little more stern, "Emma, I asked you a question. I expect an answer." Charming said sternly with a no-nonsense tone.

Emma gulped as she heard the tone in his voice. Instantly, she felt like a little girl, his little girl, in a whole heap of trouble. She tried to look down to avoid his piercing glare that seemed to go right through her, but he held her chin so that she couldn't look down.

"I'm waiting, Emma." Charming said sternly, as he continued to keep eye contact, even though Emma was trying to look away from him.

He had never seemed more fatherly, then at the moment, and it was a bit scary being on Emma's end of things. "I understand." Emma said softly, in an almost childish voice, full of guilt.

Charming narrowed his eyes at her, trying to decide if she was really going to obey him or if she was trying to just get him off her case. He wasn't sure, but he knew Emma didn't go down without a fight. He would just keep her close by until they found their family and took care King George.

Emma felt nervous as her father continued to look at her, obviously trying to decide if she was telling him the truth or not. It was a bit nerve-racking to be stuck keeping eye contact under such intense scrutiny, especially from her father.

"Good." Charming said as he finally let go of Emma's chin.

_Phew. I do understand, but the doesn't mean I agree or will do as he asks. _Emma thought, as she is able to break contact with her father's eyes.

"Ok, let's get you fixed up." Charming began as he stood up with Emma still in his arms and brought her to his and Snow's bed.

"I'm okay. I don't..." Emma started to protest her father's assessment that she needed to be fixed up.

"Don't even start, young lady." Charming interrupted in stern voice with a parental glare that shouldn't be messed with, as he sat Emma down on the bed.

Emma knew better than to challenge her father when he was giving her that glare with the combination of the stern voice. Yep, she was definitely shutting up now. She looked up sheepishly at her father as he started to assess her injuries.

They had really done a number on her. Charming was appalled at the severity of her injuries and wondered if he was going to need to take her to the hospital. He started with her head, knowing that she had been knocked out. It was a good size bump forming under a gash on her left side of her forehead. She had a nasty bruise developing on her right cheekbone and another one on her jaw. "Emma, can you explain to me what happen?" Charming asked knowing he needed her to explain what happen in order to know what to check.

Emma grimaced. "Do I have to?" Emma asked in a bit of a whiny voice.

"Yes. I need to know what happen to be able to treat your injuries." Charming said, but when he saw that Emma was about to argue, he cut her off with a meaningful look that clearly said he wasn't going to deal with any of her arguing.

"Ok. When they broke in, Leo was in the playpen and I was just coming from the living room. I went for them and started fighting off the men, there was two of them and then King George. I got a couple of good punches in and a couple of good kicks, but one of the men was really big and strong. He picked me up and threw me across the room over the table and I hit the edge of the kitchen island and fell to the ground. The man came over to me and started to kick me. That's when I realized that I still had my gun on me and I pulled it out, but as I stretched my arm out to aim, King George came over and kicked it out of my hand and then..." Emma stopped.

"What did he do, Emma?" Charming asked through gritted teeth as he imagined what these men did to his daughter.

"He stepped on my hand and then he kicked me a couple of times too." Emma answered.

Charming looked at Emma's hand to see it indeed was swollen and bruised. He shook his head as he tried to convince himself not to go hunt down King George and his men and beat them with an inch of their lives for what they did to his daughter. "What else happened?" Charming asked.

"King George talked to me and he had one of his men get Leo. That's when I tried to get up and fight them again. I got a good punch in on King George, but then the big guy came over again. He punched me once in the jaw, which sent me flying back to the floor against the island. I must have passed out for a second because then I woke up with King George standing above me. King George told me a few more things before getting up to leave. I tried to get up again, but the big guy hit me with this arm making me fly back into the island and then he took my gun and hit me over the head with it, but not before I saw them leave with Leo." Emma finished with another grimace as she watched her father's face that was full of anger and concern.

Charming was furious at King George and his men for treating his daughter like a rag doll. He started to look more closely at Emma's injuries and where he figured they would be. The more he saw, the more convinced he was that he needed to take Emma to the hospital. He felt Emma's stomach and grimaced when she moaned softly at the light touch. He gently lifted her shirt to see how bad it was and was horrified when he saw that it was covered in developing bruises and red marks. "Oh Emma." Charming began, in a sad tone. "We have to go to the hospital."

"No. Can't you just take care of me here?" Emma asked, not wanting to go to the hospital at all.

"Not this time, Emma. Your hand needs to be x-Ray along with your ribs. Also your head injuries should be checked out. I know you don't like hospitals..."

"That's an understatement." Emma interrupted.

"But we still have to go." Charming finished.

"No. I'm not going." Emma said defiantly.

"It's not a choice." Charming said firmly, before he went to find a coat for Emma.

Emma was annoyed at her father and wasn't ready to give up just yet. When he walked back over with a coat that wasn't hers, she was about to start arguing when she got another one of her father's parental looks that warned her to not even start with him because she wouldn't get what she wanted. She sighed, but then grimaced as she felt her ribs that were on fire from the many kicks she received. This didn't go unnoticed by David.

"Here, it's cold outside." Charming said with a sense of urgency as he went to help Emma put the coat on.

"That's not mine." Emma stated.

"I know, but yours aren't going to fit comfortable over your shoulder. It looks like it may be dislocated." Charming explained and informed his daughter. It was actually a zip up hoodie that was his, but he never wore it. It would work perfectly for Emma since it would be easy to get on and off plus it would keep her warm.

"Ok. Let's go." Charming said as he helped Emma stand up.

Charming helped Emma to the door while supporting most of her weight. He could tell that Emma was in pain as she moved because a moan would escape her lips every so often. They were a third of the way down the stairs when Charming couldn't take it anymore and he scooped Emma carefully up into his arms to carry the rest of the way to his truck.

"I can walk." Emma complained when her father picked her up, but secretly she knew she wasn't going to be able to make all the way to the truck if she was walking. She relaxed in her father's arms and closed her eyes.

"Emma." Charming said in a disapproving tone, but he could tell that she knew she needed him to carry her.

Charming carried Emma down and out to the truck, only putting her down and leaning her against the side of the truck as he unlocked the passenger side door. He lifted Emma up into the truck and carefully buckled her up when she didn't make the effort on her own.

*****OUAT*****

"Do you think Leo and mom are safe with Gramps?" Henry asked as he sat by his Grandma.

"I hope that they are, Henry. I know that your grandpa would do anything he could to keep them safe." Snow replied sounding more confident than she actually felt.

Henry nodded and was about to say something she they heard a door slam shut.

Both Henry and Snow looked towards the door wondering if they had succeeded or failed in getting Leo.

Snow's heart froze when she heard her baby's cry. They got Leo.

The door opened to the basement and King George came down with Leo. He didn't know much about babies and didn't want to take care of him. He wondered if it would have been easier to take Emma, but eventually he would have to get both of Charming's kids.

"Well look who your daughter failed to protect. Your husband was out searching for you and thought it would be safe at home for your darling children. Your daughter, I'm afraid, is a little worse for wear." King George informed Snow casually and then gave a chuckle after.

"Give me my son." Snow said in a low, deadly voice.

"Don't you want to hear about your daughter? Geez Snow, maybe you do have a favorite just like I managed to convince your daughter." King George paused before continuing. "I won't be surprised if she was here within a couple of hours to trade herself in for your lives. Not that I would actually let you to, but I didn't tell her that. But then again she may not be in the best shape to get here." King George finished with an evil smirk.

Snow was furious and the only things that was stopping her from tackling King George and beating him within an inch of his life were that he was holding her son and she was chained to a wall. "Give me my son." Snow repeated in a voice that was just contained her anger.

"Well I don't want him. Keep the brat quiet." King George said with frustration at not getting more out of Snow. He handed Leo to his mother and left the diaper bag they had grabbed from the loft on the floor. He would never admit it, but Snow was starting to intimidate him. He had to remind himself that he was in control not her. "Your daughter will probably be here soon." King George said before he went upstairs.

Snow hugged Leo to her and put an arm around Henry, trying to keep him safe. A tear slipped down her face as she worried about her daughter and the condition King George hinted she was in. Also that he did mess with her head and tried to trick her into trading herself for them. She really hoped Charming would prevent Emma from giving herself up. She knew if he knew about it, he wouldn't let her out of his sight till this whole situation was done with.

Henry was worried about his mom being hurt. He hoped his grandpa would help her. He knew he would, but he hated to think that his mom was hurt.

Henry and Snow sat side by side with Leo in Snow's lap, both lost in their thoughts.

*****OUAT*****

Charming drove to the hospital all the while keeping an eye on Emma who seemed to be in a lot of pain. As soon as they got there, Charming carried Emma in, even though Emma put up a big fight because people might see her being carried.

Charming won in the end because Emma was literally too weak to get out of her father's arms. Charming carried her inside and sat her down on one of the chairs in the ER's waiting room as he went up to the receptionist and checked Emma in. He was given a chart to fill out and told that someone would come for Emma in a minute.

He went back to Emma and sat down to fill out the chart. "You're going to have to help me with this Emma." Charming said as he looked at it and then began to fill out what he knew.

"Ok." Emma said with a soft smile as she looked over to see her father concentrating hard on the questions. Emma's head felt heavy and she just couldn't help, but lay it down on her father's shoulder. David brought his hand up and gently patted her head before returning his attention to the forms.

"Have you broken any bones before?" Charming asked.

"Yes." Emma replied.

"Which ones?" Charming asked with a smile at Emma's response.

"Why does matter if they know what bones I've broken?" Emma asked annoyed. "My finger, my arm, and my ankle." Emma said.

Charming narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. "Allergies?"

"None." Emma replied.

"Surgeries?" Charming asked.

Emma rolled her eyes, which was a mistake. "Tonsillectomy, wisdom teeth removed, and an emergency surgery." Emma replied quickly, hoping her dad wouldn't catch on to what she said.

"Wait, what? What was the emergency surgery for?" Charming asked his daughter.

"Stab wound." Emma said quickly. "Any other questions?" Emma added as she tried to change the topic.

Charming wanted to know more, but knew better than to push his daughter when she didn't want to share something. Instead, he started to fill out the next part of the paperwork that were yes and no questions on whether Emma had a history of an illness. He read them off as she told him the answer. After putting himself as the emergency contact along with Mary Margaret, he had Emma sign the papers and then he returned the paperwork to the front.

He came back and sat down hoping that they would be coming for Emma soon. Emma leaned her head down on his shoulder once again and Charming put his arm gently around her, being careful of her shoulder. "It shouldn't be long now, Em." Charming said before he kissed the side of her head.

Emma nodded her head, feeling pretty terrible from all her injuries and nervous about being in the hospital.

"Emma Swan." The nurse called about 15 minutes later.

Charming helped Emma stand and walk over to the nurse. He wanted to pick her up again, but Emma would he embarrassed if he did that. The nurse grabbed a wheelchair and brought over to them, which Charming was grateful for, but Emma wasn't very pleased with.

"I don't need that." Emma said rudely.

"Emma, sit." Charming said sternly, not caring for Emma's attitude.

Emma immediately sat down, with the help of her dad, knowing she didn't have much of a choice.

The nurse rolled her to one of the ER rooms, if you could call them rooms; they had curtains for the fourth wall.

"Will you need help getting changed?" The nurse asked as she handed Emma the hospital gown.

Emma was about to say no, she would do it herself, thank you very much, when her father decided to answer for her.

"Yes, she will need help." Charming said to the nurse, but was eyeing Emma with a look that told her that she wouldn't be able to do it herself, not with her injuries.

"Dad, I can do it myself." Emma said stubbornly, the 'dad' coming out naturally out of her frustration at being treated like a kid.

"Either she helps you or I do. It's your choice." Charming replied leaving no room for argument from his stubborn daughter.

Emma glared at her dad for a moment before she replied. "She can help me." Emma said through a defeated sigh.

"Good girl, I'll just be outside." Charming replied as he kissed Emma's head before he ducked out of the room.

"Dad, huh?" The nurse asked Emma.

Emma confused for second for more than one reason. One reason was because everyone should know who they are in Storybrooke, it wasn't that big of a town and news spread like a wild-fire in their town. The second reason was she didn't think she called him 'dad' in front of her or did she?

"That's what happens when you find out your parents are Snow White and Prince Charming when you are 28 years old." Emma replied with a soft smile coming to her lips.

"Oh, you're the savior!" The nurse replied feeling a little dumb for not realizing it sooner.

"The one and only." Emma replied sarcastically.

The nurse finished helping Emma change and then get into the bed, before letting David back in the room. She then took Emma's vitals before letting them know the doctor would be in to examine Emma in a little bit.

Charming sat in the chair by Emma's bed. "How are you feeling?" Charming asked softly as he gently tucked a piece of Emma's hair behind her ear.

"Tired." Emma replied truthfully, but she was also anxious since she was in the hospital.

Charming nodded, but noticed that Emma was nervously playing with the blanket with her fingers and her eyes were glancing around the room. She looked terrified like a scared little girl alone in the world. Charming didn't say anything he just reached over and held Emma's uninjured hand. As soon as he did, her attention turned to him and she relaxed slightly, knowing she wasn't alone.

Charming was starting to get impatient as they waited for the doctor. His baby was hurt and he didn't like to wait forever while she was obviously in pain. He was about to make a comment to Emma, when Dr. Whale came in with Emma's chart.

"Well hello, Ms. Swan, David. Welcome back home." Whale said as he walked over to Emma. "Sorry about your family going missing." Whale said sincerely.

Charming nodded.

"So what happen to you?" Whale asked as he took in the battered face of his patient.

Emma looked over to her dad for support; she didn't want to tell the story again.

Charming began to explain what had happen to his daughter and what he believed to be her injuries.

"I'm glad you brought her in, we will need to watch for any internal injuries. But first we need to make sure we take care of everything we can see." Whale explained.

Whale first examined Emma's forehead, feeling the bump on her head which caused Emma to wince. "That will need stitches I'm afraid." Whale commented. He then assessed the bruises developing on her cheekbone and jaw. "You said she flew into the island and passed out for a little bit?" Whale asked as he felt for any bumps on the back of Emma's head.

"Yeah, she did." Charming replied before Emma had the chance to say anything.

"You do know I'm right here, I can answer the question." Emma said to both of the men in an annoyed voice. Just because she didn't want to repeat the whole story didn't mean she wanted them to act like she wasn't in the room!

Charming gave her a disapproving look, but then turned his attention back to what Whale was doing.

Whale smirked at Emma's disgruntled expression. "You do have a pretty good, sized bump on the back of your head." Whale informed before moving on with his examination. He untied the top of Emma's gown so that he look at Emma's right shoulder which was definitely dislocated and would need to be put back into its socket, but he wanted to get an x-Ray of it first. "I'm sure it's dislocated, but we get an X-ray taken to be safe. Emma can you sit up for me." Whale asked kindly. Whale noticed that it was a struggle for Emma to sit up probably due to some broken ribs. He retied the top of Emma's gown and untied the next set of strings so that he could see if there was any damage down to her back like he predicted from her flying across the room into the island. He was suspecting a bruise, but wasn't expecting to see other scars on her back, old ones. "Looks like you hurt your back when you were thrown against that island, but it is just bruised." Whale informed Emma.

Charming who hadn't even thought of Emma's back looked to see the angry-looking bruise that was developing across Emma's back, but he, like Whale, had noticed the faded scars that were on Emma's back.

Whale made eye contact with David over Emma's head, knowing what he was thinking, but not wanting to have this discussion at the moment. Whale had Emma lean back against the bed while he went to look at Emma's right hand. It was definitely broken because it was swollen and bruised. He then pulled Emma's blanket down and examined Emma's stomach, which was covered with bruises on 85% of her stomach. "This may hurt a little." Whale warned his patient who just nodded and grabbed her father's hand for support. He could tell that she had some broken ribs and he hoped she didn't have any internal damage. He quickly covered her back up and then looked at her legs, which also had bruises on them.

"How did you get bruises on your legs?" Charming asked his daughter.

"They didn't just kick me in the stomach." Emma replied.

"Some of them are from kicks, but the other ones are for being thrown across the room." Whale explained as he covered Emma's legs again. "They will just be sore for a while. I just have one more thing to do and then we will get your X-Rays done." Whale informed Emma as he put on his stethoscope. With the help of her father, Emma sat up so that he could listen to her heart and lungs. First, he listened to her heart, then listen for her breath sounds. "Can you take a deep breath for me, Emma?" Whale asked.

Emma squeezed her father's hand tighter as she took a deep breath. He asked for another one and another one. She was beginning to wonder if she had broken her father's hand, when Whale let her sit back.

"Well, they sure did a number on you, Ms. Swan." Whale began as he wrote down some notes in Emma's chart from his examination. "I'm going to send someone in to get an IV going and then someone to take you to get those X-Rays taken." Whale said as he stood up from his chair.

"Thanks, Whale." Charming said sincerely.

Whale nodded as he left he room, closing the curtain on his way out. Not long, after he left, someone came in to put an IV in Emma's hand. After several attempts and Emma's arm being completely numb, the tech decided to put it in Emma's arm instead.

"I didn't think I was ever going to get my arm back." Emma complained as the feeling was starting to come back to her left arm.

Charming chuckled softly, "it wouldn't have been so bad if you weren't dehydrated."

"I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to keep my arm still because I couldn't feel it anymore." Emma explained in an annoyed voice.

Charming gave her a sympathetic look before patting her head. "Is that why you were staring at your arm?" Charming asked as he remembered wondering why Emma was so concentrated as she stared at her arm while the guy was putting in the IV.

"Yeah, I was hoping it wouldn't move." Emma replied seriously.

Before Charming could reply, another tech came in to the small ER room with a wheelchair.

"Hi, Emma. My name is Lucy and I'm going to take you to get your X-Rays taken." Lucy said as she moved closer to the bed to help the patient off the bed and into the chair.

Charming saw as Emma tensed up once again and a little bit of fear creeped into her eyes. As the tech was about to help Emma off the bed, Charming interrupted her. "Can you give us a minute?" Charming asked kindly.

"Of course, let me know when she is ready." Lucy said kindly.

"Emma, what's wrong?" Charming asked quietly.

Emma looked at her father, a little bit surprised yet she shouldn't have been. He knew her better than most people. She wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him the real reason why she did want to go with Lucy, but she knew he wouldn't make fun of her. "I don't like the hospital." Emma began slowly. Her father nodded his head. "But having you here, makes it a little better, but you won't be able to come with me..." Emma admitted in soft, child-like voice that in the end was just scared.

"Oh Emma, it won't be long and I'll be here when you get back." Charming reassured his daughter. He had a feeling it was something like that, but actually hearing her admit it broke his heart. He gently hugged her being careful of her injuries. He leaned back and took her face in his hands and asked, "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah." Emma replied softly as a tear slipped down her face, which was brushed away with her father's thumb.

"Ok, let's get you into this chair." Charming said, but then grabbed the robe that the tech had brought with the chair and helped Emma into it before he gently picked Emma up into his arms and set her in the chair. "I'll be right here when you get back, sweetheart." Charming said before he kissed the top of her head.

"She's ready." Charming said as he opened the curtain a little. He winked at Emma before the nurse took her away.

**Please Review!**


	16. Fear

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 16! I feel like I have been working on this chapter forever! I hope you like it! It's extra long! :) Thanks for the continued support for this story! :) Enjoy! **

**Fear**

As Emma was getting her x-rays, Charming wasted no time calling Neal, Hook, Grumpy, and Regina about what had happen. Regina and Robin had been searching for Henry and Snow on their own. Regina was still involved in Henry's life and had a new respect for Snow since they learned of their mothers' pasts.

"Hey Regina, King George and his men took Leo and beat up Emma pretty badly in the process." Charming informed Regina through the phone.

"Is she okay?" Regina said with obviously concern.

"We are at the hospital. I wouldn't be surprised if they kept her overnight. It's pretty bad, Regina." Charming replied with worry evident in his voice.

"Don't worry, King George will pay for this. No one messes with my family." Regina said in an angry voice. "Do you need anything?" Regina added in a softer voice.

"Not right now, but it would be helpful if you kept looking. I would be looking, but I don't feel comfortable leaving Emma here alone. King George tried to convince Emma to trade her life for theirs." Charming informed Regina with a scoff.

"She does realize it is just a trick, right. He wouldn't really give them back." Regina said in an annoyed voice.

"I told her that, but I'm afraid she is still going to try to give herself up to him. She thinks that if there is even the slightest chance he would let them go, she should do it. But, I won't let her do it. Either I'm going to be with her or someone else will be." Charming replied with determination.

"Good. We don't need anyone else to get under King George's grip. If you need anything let me know." Regina said.

"Thanks, Regina." Charming said and with that ended the call.

Charming was beginning to wonder how long x-rays normally took because it had been a good hour since they took her. The phone calls took longer than he expected they would because of all the questions they asked him. He had to convince Neal and Hook that there was no need for them to come to the hospital. He knew Emma would hate all the attention if they did.

He really didn't appreciate how much you had to wait in hospitals. He didn't like that Emma was away from him so long, knowing that she wasn't comfortable with hospitals. He noticed the scars on her back and it made him feel sick to his stomach to think of how she got them. He was curious about her emergency surgery too. He was pretty sure she said it was a stab wound. He had so many questions for her about it, but he knew that she most likely wouldn't want to talk about it. He wished Snow was there to help him take care of Emma. They worked as a team because they supported and encouraged each other through situations like this.

**9:05 pm**

Emma hated x-rays. She kept reminding herself that she wasn't a little kid anymore and she wasn't alone because her Dad was waiting for her in the ER room. She wished her Mom was here too.

"Okay, Emma. We just have one more x-ray to do. Can you put your hand up here?" The Tech asked kindly.

Emma did what the lady asked, but she couldn't get rid of the anxiety that she felt from being in the room. It brought her back to the numerous times she had been in similar rooms getting bones x-rayed for one reason or another. She was always nervous that they would hotline her foster parents for something they saw then her foster parents would think she had said something to the nurse or doctor then she would get in trouble. She hated it all. This room brought back all those fears and she couldn't wait to get back to her Dad, at least with him she felt safe.

The Tech did the x-rays on her hand, which took about another 15 minutes. Emma was more than ready to head back when the Tech said they were done.

"I really don't need the wheelchair." Emma said hoping she could get out of using it. It was a little humiliating having to ride in it.

"It's hospital policy that you have to use a wheelchair, or else I would let you walk." Lucy said kindly.

Emma wasn't going to argue with her, she seemed like a nice enough girl. She sat in the wheelchair willingly with the help of Lucy because she was worn-out by all the x-rays. It didn't help that her head was pounding, her ribs were on fire, her dislocated shoulder hurt, her hand was throbbing, and just about everything ached.

Lucy pushed Emma down a couple of different hallways before they found their way back to the ER room Emma had been assigned to. For some reason, Emma was suddenly worried that her Dad wouldn't be there when she returned. She knew it was irrational, but she couldn't help feeling that fear that she would once again be alone. It made sense to her that he would leave especially with their family being kidnapped so she convinced herself that he wouldn't be there by the time she reached the room. They always left and she ended up being alone. There was no reason for this time to be any different.

**9:30 pm**

Charming looked up as he saw Lucy push Emma into the room. He was glad she was back, but she looked almost surprised as she saw him, like she was expecting him to not be there.

He walked over to them and motioned to Lucy that he would help get Emma back on the bed. After Lucy left, he crouched down by the wheelchair to look at Emma.

"Are you okay?" Charming asked softly.

"You didn't leave." Emma said in awe.

"Of course. I'm not going to leave you. Why would you think I would?" Charming asked softly hoping he wasn't pushing too far.

"I'm use to being left." Emma said softly as she started to shrug her shoulders, but stopped when she felt pain from her dislocated shoulder.

It broke Charming's heart to hear his daughter's explanation because she expected this time to be like all the other times she had been in the hospital. "Emma. I am not leaving you. I'm sticking around, kiddo." Charming said with a small smile.

Emma searched her father's eyes before a small smile came to her face as she realized he was telling the truth. "Now, how about we get you back in bed." Charming said as he stood up.

"I can do it myself." Emma said with a cheeky grin as she started to stand up without her father's assistance, but started to falter and fall.

Charming caught her and steadied her before chuckling. "And you were saying?"

"That I may need some help?" Emma said with a grin as she bit her lower lip.

"Whatever the princess needs." Charming replied softly before gently scooping Emma up in his arms to place her in the hospital bed.

"Shhh...we're in public!" Emma exclaimed in a strained whisper as she looked towards the curtain.

"Okay, okay." Charming laughed as he covered Emma up with her hospital blanket. "But they all know it."

Emma hesitated because when he said 'princess' she didn't automatically associated it with her being an actual princess. She thought of a Dad calling his daughter 'his little princess' which in itself could be embarrassing enough at age 30, but knowing she was a princess and that they all knew it was a totally different story. "That's weird." Emma managed to say.

Charming was about to respond when Whale entered the room.

"Well Ms. Swan, let's look at your x-rays." Whale said as he took out the first x-Ray and hung it up.

Charming noticed as Emma tensed up as Whale came in and mentioned the x-rays.

"Looks like your shoulder is dislocated like I thought. I see where you broke your arm. How old were you when you broke it?" Whale asked nonchalantly.

Emma hesitated because she had to think about which arm she broke when. "Um, I think when I was nine." Emma said slowly.

Whale nodded his head before he switched the x-ray to the one with her hand. "Looks like you have broken your wrist before." Whale said a bit sarcastically since it wasn't mentioned on her chart.

Charming raised his eyebrows as he looked down at his daughter who just avoided his gaze.

"Well you will need a cast put on your hand. You broke two bones in your hand." Whale said before switching the x-rays.

"Ah you have broken your ribs before too. What else did you fail to put in your chart?" Whale murmured, mostly to himself.

Emma looked down at the sheets acting like she didn't hear Whale. She didn't think of the x-rays showing her past breaks.

"Emma?" Charming said in a disapproving tone before he lifted her chin to look her in the eyes. "When did you break your ribs?" Charming added in a softer tone.

"Uh..." Emma started not sure what to say.

Charming gave her an impatient look before he was interrupted by Whale.

"She must have broken them more than once." Whale said thoughtfully as he analyzed the x-ray. "And she broke a couple of them again."

"How many of them did she break?" Charming asked as he walked over to look at the x-Ray.

"Two on her right side and one on her left side, but a couple of them are bruised as well. She is going to be sore for a while." Whale informed David.

Emma rolled her eyes, they were doing it again, talking about her like she wasn't in the room, but she wasn't going to draw attention to herself by speaking up. She didn't want to explain her past injuries to them.

Whale took the x-ray down and put it back in the envelope before turning towards his patient. "We need to reset your shoulder and I'm going to need your help, David." Whale said.

David nodded and Emma grimaced.

Whale showed David what he needed him to do. David would keep Emma still, but also pull her body towards himself to help Whale be able to set the shoulder more easily. Whale took the pillows out from behind Emma so she would be laying flat and then gently moved Emma's arm that had been resting on her stomach, so that it was stretched out. Emma winced as he moved her arm, but then quickly tried to hide the pain it was causing her. "Are you ready, Emma?" Whale asked.

"Yeah, get it over with." Emma replied roughly.

"Ok, I just need you to relax as much as you can." Whale instructed.

Emma nodded, knowing the drill from a previous dislocation. She looked at her father for support and hoping it would help her relax because she was anything, but relaxed at the moment. He gave her an encouraging smile as he looked down at her which helped her relax a little.

Charming hated seeing his daughter going through this and would gladly trade places with her if it would wipe away the fear and pain he could see in her eyes. He saw Whale nod at him and he tighten his grip on Emma who only struggled a little against the pain as her arm was moved slowly and then popped back into place which sounded absolutely terrible.

Whale checked to make sure it went in the right spot before gently placing Emma's arm back on her stomach. "Good, normally that takes more than one try." Whale grabbed the sling that he brought and brought it over to Emma. "David, can you help her sit up?"

"Yeah." Charming said.

"I can do it myself." Emma said at the same time as her father answered.

Emma's father just gave her a "seriously, your ribs are broken and bruised" look before helping her sit up and then sat on the bed behind her to give her some much-needed support.

Whale carefully put Emma's arm into the sling to keep it immobile. "You'll need to wear this sling for the next two weeks so that your shoulder can heal." Whale explained as he finished.

"Two weeks?" Emma complained.

"I'll make sure that she does." Charming said ignoring Emma's complaint.

"As for your hand, we are going to have to wait for the swelling to go down to put a cast on it, but in the meantime we are going to ice it." Whale said.

"When can I go home?" Emma asked in an almost whiny voice.

Whale hesitated slightly as he glanced at David who had just placed the pillows back behind Emma. "I'm not sure yet. We are going to keep you overnight for observation to make sure you have no internal injuries. Also I will assign you some medications to help with the pain." Whale said.

"Overnight? Is that really necessary." Emma asked in an annoyed voice.

"Unfortunately, it is necessary." Whale answered, but then turned toward Charming. "Someone will be coming to transfer her to a new room in a little bit." Whale said before he made his exit leaving behind a very irritated patient.

Charming turned back to Emma to see her glaring at where Whale had just left. He sat on the bed by Emma and turned her face to him. "Emma." Charming said softly.

"Do I have to stay here, Dad?" Emma asked quietly as she looked into his eyes. She was trying to hide how much this terrified her, but she knew he could probably see right through her.

"Yes, Emma, you do, but you won't be alone. I'll be here with you." Charming promised.

**10:45 pm**

Emma had been switched to a new room and had a PCA pump to control her pain. She could push the button if she needed more pain medication. She had gotten a private room; probably because she was the savior and from the royal family.

They had stitched up the gash on her head and given her an ice pack to keep on her hand to help the swelling, but then left her alone with the instruction to rest. Although Emma was in pain, she hadn't pushed the button once for the pain medication because she knew it would make her sleepy and she didn't like sleeping in hospitals.

Charming had stepped out in the hallway to talk to Whale for a minute, but was coming back into the room. "How are you feeling, Em?" Charming asked as he walked over to the hospital bed.

"Fine." Emma said as she shifted in the bed a little, which caused her to wince a little at the pain it caused her.

"Have you pushed the button?" Charming asked with a suspicious look.

"Yeah." Emma said slowly, but when she saw that her father wasn't convinced, she said quickly, "Ok, I haven't. I just don't want to..."

"But, it will help you feel better." Charming said softly as he looked curiously at Emma, who he could tell was in pain.

"I feel fine." Emma said grumpily.

"Emma, what is the real reason you don't want the pain meds?" Charming asked with a sigh.

Emma frowned, he was too good at this. "It will make me tired and I don't want to sleep. I want to go home." Emma answered.

"Emma, I know you don't like being here, but you need to rest and the pain medication will help you rest and feel better." Charming reasoned with his daughter as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Can't we just go home?" Emma asked tiredly.

"No, Emma. Whale thinks you need to stay here just in case you have any internal injuries plus you haven't even got your cast put on your hand. But, no matter what, you aren't going to get to go home unless you get some rest." Charming said as he picked up the PCA pump remote.

Emma frowned. "I just don't like being here."

"I know, but I'll be here with you." Charming said as he gently put a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"But, I feel bad, you shouldn't have to stay with me. You should be out looking for mom, Leo, and Henry. I should be looking for them, instead of being here. If I only...this is all my fault." Emma said as she looked down at the sheets.

"Emma, look at me." Charming said as he put his finger under her chin to raise her head. "Emma, none of this is your fault. You did everything you could to try to save Leo and we are doing everything we can to get them back." Charming said softly.

"Not everything." Emma said under her breath.

"Everything that doesn't mean risking your life. Your mother wouldn't want that and Henry wouldn't want that." Charming said firmly as he looked into Emma's eyes and when he saw the fight drain out of them he smiled. "Now, I think it is time that I stepped in. You may not want to be here or sleep, but in order to get better, you need to rest." Charming said before he pushed the PCA remote twice.

"You won't leave me?" Emma asked as the medicine started to kick in and began to make her sleepy.

Charming smiled before he leaned over and kissed Emma's forehead. "No. I'm not going to leave you."

"Ok." Emma replied.

Charming pushed the button again. "Close your eyes, sweetie." Charming said as he watched Emma's eyes started to droop close, but she grabbed his hand before she finally drifted off to sleep. "Sweet dreams, princess." Charming said as he kissed her forehead once more.

**1:15 am**

Emma woke up with a start. _Where was she? What were they doing to her?_ Emma thought as she started to hyperventilate and pull the IV from her hand. Her hand was stopped however by a stronger hand over her hand. She struggled against the person keeping her trapped, but she wasn't strong enough and she was so tired she couldn't keep her eyes open to see who it was.

"Emma! Emma!" Charming said trying to wake Emma up out of the trance she seemed to be in. She had all of sudden woke up with a cry and started struggling to get the IV out of her hand. She almost did if it hadn't been for him stopping her from pulling it out. She looked terrified and he knew it had to be because she had a bad dream. "Emma! It's okay. You're safe, sweetie." Charming reassured his daughter.

Emma opened her eyes to see her father. "Daddy?" She whispered still half-asleep. She ignored the pain she was feeling to sit up and hug him with her good arm.

Charming wrapped his arms around Emma being careful of her injuries. "I've got you, baby." Charming whispered as he tried to settle his daughter down who was now crying.

After Emma settled down and became quiet, Charming lowered her back on the bed and adjusted the covers over her. She had somehow fallen back asleep In his arms. He just hoped she would have better dreams.

He wiped the tears off her face and suddenly realized what she had called him when she realized it was him. Daddy. She was however half-asleep and drugged, but she still had called him Daddy. He smiled softly as he looked down at his daughter who was now sleeping peacefully, at least for now.

He pushed her PCA remote once before settling back into the chair next to the bed. He was really starting to think that giving the patient the control over their pain meds was a bad thing, well at least for his daughter who would never push the button. He, however, didn't mind having the power, but he may talk to Whale about it tomorrow if she had to stay longer. He knew why she didn't want to take the medicine, but she also needed the rest and the relief from the pain that her injuries were causing her. He just wished that they wouldn't cause her to have nightmares. He was afraid that it was going to be a long night.

**3:30 am**

_She woke up feeling drowsy and weak. She was in a dark room with no windows that she could tell. A man in a white lab coat brought her a tray of food and told her to eat because she wouldn't be getting anything else for a long time. _

_Emma was so terrified that she couldn't even speak. After he left the room, Emma looked down at the tray and instantly felt nauseated, yet extremely tired at the same time. She thought she was in a different country, but really wasn't sure where she was. All she knew was that she didn't remember how she got to this place or how long she had been there. _

_She had to have been drugged because she could hardly keep her eyes open. Would her family find her? Was her family here? What did these people want? _

_She looked over to see her phone. Why would she have her phone? Wouldn't they have taken it? She reached and grabbed it with her right arm because for some reason she couldn't move her left one. She quickly called her Mom who didn't answer her phone so she called her Dad who answered with a normal, "H__ello?"_

_"Dad!" Emma said quietly into the phone with terror laced in her voice. _

_"Emma, where are you?" Charming asked frantically. _

_"I don't know...I think I'm in a different country..." Emma whispered so quietly in fear the people holding her there would hear her and come take the phone away. _

_She waited for her Dad to say something, but it was silent. She wondered if he hadn't heard her. "Dad?" She whispered into the phone. _

_But she heard nothing, but silence. She started to panic thinking that she had imagined talking to her Dad or he didn't care or they were disconnected by the people. _

**4:05 am**

"Emma! Wake up, sweetie. You're dreaming." Charming tried his best to bring Emma out of her dream that was causing her to breathe unevenly and thrash around in the bed. He was afraid that she would hurt herself. "Emma!" Charming called out as he tried to keep her still.

Emma opened her eyes to see her father. "Dad? Where am I? Are they here? What's going on?" Emma asked frantically as she scanned the room.

Charming was confused and worried as he looked at how terrified his daughter was. "Emma, it's okay. You are at the hospital." Charming said as he held Emma's face still so she was looking at him.

"But, are they here?" Emma asked as she tried to look around for the men in lab coats.

"Is who here?" Charming asked in a confused voice.

"The people..." Emma started before she realized it had been a dream. "It was a dream, but it felt so real." Emma said slowly, but with fear still in her voice.

"Yes, it was a dream. Do you want to talk about it?" Charming asked a little relieved that she seemed a little less terrified.

Emma shook her head "no."

"It might help to talk about it." Charming said as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I just woke up and I was in a dark room, but I didn't know where I was or how I got there. Then this man came in and gave me food, but I couldn't eat it because it made me sick just to look at it. I was so tired, but then I saw my phone. I tried to call Mom, but she didn't answer so I called you. You answered, but then the line was silent. I don't know why." Emma finished with a sob.

Charming was shocked at how Emma just told him everything about her dream or nightmare from what it sounded like. She had hardly taken a breath and she seemed so shaken up about it that it broke his heart. "Emma, it was just a dream. You are safe with me. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. " Charming said softly, but Emma was still crying. The medication was probably the cause of her nightmare and her emotions, but she looked so terrified so he picked her up carefully and sat on the bed with her in his arms. She automatically cuddled up in his arms and clanged to him. "It's okay, honey you can sleep now."

Emma sat up, as best she could, and looked at her father. "No. I can't go back to sleep." Emma said seriously.

"Why not?" Charming asked as he rubbed Emma's back.

"If I fall asleep I might dream the same dream again or something else." Emma whispered as she put her head against her father's shoulder.

"Oh Emma. I know you don't want to sleep, but I'll be right here with you if you need anything. But, honey, you need to sleep." Charming said softly as he continued to rub Emma's back.

"Ok." Emma resigned feeling exhausted despite the sleep she had gotten. "I miss them so much." Emma said softly as a few more tears ran down her face.

"Me too, but you know if your mother was here, she would be telling you to sleep too. She would want you to get better." Charming said softly.

"Yeah, I guess that true." Emma mumbled feeling rather exhausted.

"How are you feeling? Are you hurting at all?" Charming asked.

"I'm..." Emma started.

"And don't say you're fine." Charming interrupted.

Emma sighed, which wasn't a very good idea because of her aching ribs. "I'm hurting...a little." Emma said, not telling the whole truth.

"Emma, remember that you inherited your superpower..." Charming said.

"But, I'm telling the...oh alright, it hurts more than a little!" Emma exclaimed with a frown.

"Are you going to push the button or do I have to?" Charming asked softly with a smile coming to his face.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I don't need the pain medication. I'm not pushing it." Emma said stubbornly, but knowing that she wasn't going to have much of a choice. She wouldn't be the one to push the button and resign to the fact that she needed medication. She was too stubborn for that and she knew it, but she still was not going to push the button.

Charming sighed. "Mmm, you're in pain so you do need the medication." Charming said slowly.

Emma just looked up at her father with a glare because he was right, but she wasn't giving him the satisfaction of hearing that from her. "You like this power, don't you?" Emma said with an amused smile.

"I just don't want you to be hurting and I know you are stubborn." Charming said softly in his defense.

"I'm not stubborn!" Emma said, but couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped her lips.

"Somehow, I don't believe you." Charming said with a chuckle. "Now, princess, I think that it is time you went to sleep." Charming said softly as he stood up and put Emma back in the bed.

"I hate the hospital." Emma said grumpily as she tried to slowly hide the PCA remote hoping her father would forget about it.

"You spent a lot of time in hospitals didn't you?" Charming asked softly as he sat on the side of the bed in front of Emma.

Emma wasn't expecting that, she was just trying to distract him so he would forget about pushing the button. She did hate hospitals, but she didn't really want to explain why she hated them.

Emma looked at her father and then looked away before answering, "Yeah."

Charming nodded, noting the sad tone in her voice. "And you were alone because of us." Charming stated with a sigh, another consequence that Emma had to suffer through because of their choice.

Emma quickly looked back to her father who was taking the blame again for something that was outside his control. "Yes, I was alone, but if you guys hadn't of sent me here I would have been dead or cursed to always be a baby. Don't blame yourself, I don't blame you." Emma said softly as she reached out her hand to touch her father's arm.

Charming was touched that his daughter, the one he was trying to comfort, was now comforting him. Charming smiled. "You are something else, do you know that?" Charming said softly as he laid his hand over Emma's hand. "I know you don't like talking about your past, but it might help you feel a little more comfortable if you did talk about it." Charming added softly as he unconsciously rubbed circles on the back of Emma's hand.

Emma looked down because talking about her past was something she never liked to do, but she understood what he was saying.

Charming could see the hesitation in Emma's eyes as she thought about what he just said. He waited patiently for Emma to decide whether she wanted to share anything. She kept glancing at him with a sad expression.

"I..." Emma started. "Normally, I would only be at the hospital for a couple of hours for broken bones or if I was going to a new foster home. It was only when I had surgeries that I had to stay over night in the hospitals." Emma paused to catch her breath as she remembered what it was like when she got her tonsils out. She glanced up at her father who was patiently waiting for her to go on. He gave her a soft, encouraging smile and squeezed her hand. "When I was five, my foster parents got in trouble with the agency for not following the advice of the doctors to schedule a time to get my tonsils out. I had been getting sick all the time and finally my foster parents got tired of me being sick so they took me to the doctor. He told them I needed my tonsils removed and to schedule the surgery for as soon as possible. They didn't schedule it and someone how the doctor's office found out three months later that they had never scheduled it so they reported my foster parents to the agency. The agency forced my foster parents to schedule an appointment for the surgery and they made sure they followed through with it."

Charming could see the emotions going across Emma's face as she told him about her surgery. Fear. Confusion. Anger. Sadness. She was a scared little girl who had no one to love her and no one to take care of her. At five years old, she had to go through a surgery in a scary place with probably no one beside her. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms, but he knew she wasn't done so he refrained from hugging her or speaking up.

"So that day, my foster mom brought me to the hospital and checked me in. She stayed with me until I got called by the nurse, but didn't go with me. I asked her to come because I was scared, but she said that I had to do it alone because I was a big girl. I didn't feel like a big girl, but I went with the nurse alone anyway. They got me ready for the surgery and I had no clue what was going on. I don't remember everything, but I do remember getting the IV put in my arm. I saw the needle and tried to get away from him. The man asked the nurse where my foster parents were and she responded that the mom was in the waiting room. They whispered something that I couldn't hear before the nurse came over to me. The nurse did her best to calm me down and explain what they were doing, but it didn't really help because I was too scared to understand her. They ended up having to hold me down to get the IV in. I figured I had to of done something really bad to have to go through that. Anyway, the doctor came in and yelled at them for holding me down to get the IV in my arm. She kicked them out and then came over and introduced herself to me. I really liked her and she was the only one I wasn't terrified of. She told me about the surgery and what it was going to be like after the surgery. She told me I wouldn't get as sick after it because my tonsils would be gone. I went into surgery and they put me under, but the last thing I remember is that Doctor telling me that everything was going to be fine and I would wake up in a little while. I was still scared, but I trusted her. When I woke up I looked for my foster parents thinking that they would be there waiting for me to wake up, but the room was empty." Emma said as a few tears escaped her eyes.

"The nurse came in and asked how I was feeling. I asked her where my mom and dad were. She told me she didn't know, but she was sure they would show up soon. I believed her, but I shouldn't have because they never did. I kept waiting for them to show up, but they didn't. The doctor, I think her name was Dr. Bailey, came in to check on me. She promised to figure out why my parents weren't there and she did figure it out for me. Apparently, they decided I wasn't worth the trouble, but they hadn't informed the agency of their decision. It had been my first foster home since the Swans and it hadn't been like the Swans' home, but I didn't understand what life in the foster system was like yet. I didn't realize that no one would ever want me. Someone from the agency came down to check on me and tell me they were looking for another home for me, but they only stayed for a little while before leaving. I ended up staying at the hospital for three nights because of my unique situation. They found me a group home to go to after which wasn't too bad, but I was really confused to what happen and why they didn't want me." Emma finished her story.

Charming had to restrain himself a few times to not pull her into a hug as she told her story with tears streaming down her face and a far-off, almost child-like look on her face. When she stopped talking, she didn't look back to him, but seemed to be lost in thought. He reached out his hand to gently touch the side of Emma's face to bring her attention back to him. "Emma."

Emma turned to look at her father as he wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. She had forgotten he had been in the room. She closed her eyes for a second thinking of all she just told her dad and hoped she hadn't hurt him.

"I'm sorry you went through that experience. I wish your mother and I could have been there with you. If we could have been with you, we would have never left your side." Charming said as he looked into his daughter's eyes.

"I know." Emma said with shy smile, but couldn't help the tears that continued to fall.

"Come here, baby." Charming said as he helped Emma sit up and then wrapped his arms around her, gently pressing a kiss to the side of her head. Charming knew there was nothing he could do to change the past, but he could show her that he was there for her now. "I know I can't change the past, even though I would like to, but I'm here with you now and I'm not going anywhere." Charming said as he continued to hold his baby girl.

Emma didn't have the words to say that described the way she was feeling so she just let her father comfort her. It felt good to let go of some of the hurt from her past and just relax in her father's arms knowing for once she wasn't alone.

Charming gently laid Emma back down on the bed, but for all his care she still winced from her injuries. "I think it's time for you to get some more sleep, sweetie." Charming said before looking for the PCA pump remote. "Emma, where is it?" Charming asked suspiciously.

"Where's what?" Emma asked, but couldn't look into her father's eyes.

"Emma Ruth Swan. You know exactly what I'm talking about." Charming said sternly.

Emma rolled her eyes to hide the way that made her feel and nervously looked anywhere, but her father's face. "I don't know." Emma said sheepishly.

Charming narrowed his eyes as he looked at his daughter who was avoiding making eye contact with him. "The remote to the PCA pump."

"Oh that." Emma said.

"Yes, that. Where is it?" Charming asked as he gave Emma a disapproving look.

Emma sighed as she started to pull the remote out, but then stopped. "I don't need any more pain meds, I'm fine."

"Emma, I'm not going to argue with you. I can tell you are in pain." Charming said as he picked up the remote.

"Please don't push it. It makes me have crazy dreams...nightmares." Emma pleaded.

"Emma, if you have any bad dreams, I'll be right here and I'll wake you up." Charming said with a sympathetic smile before pushing the button to release more pain medication.

"You promise?" Emma asked sleepily.

"I promise." Charming answered with a smile before standing up.

"Can you...stay a little while?" Emma asked as she grabbed her father's arm.

"Of course." Charming said as he kissed Emma's forehead then pushed the button again. Emma scooted over in bed, making room for him. He gently laid down beside her putting his arm around her. "Now, close your eyes, Em."

"Ok. Night, Dad." Emma mumbled as she shifted closer to him. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt before she fell asleep with her head leaning against her Dad's shoulder.

"Goodnight, Emma." Charming said softly with a small smile gracing his face.

**Please Review! **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Up next will catch up with Snow, Henry, and Leo and see what Emma plans on doing to rescue her family. :) I'm missing Snow, so hopefully soon we will see some Mama Snow action. :) **


	17. Desperate Measures

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 17! Thanks for all the reviews; they are amazing and I love hearing your thoughts! :) Hope you enjoy this chapter! Also when we figure out Snow and Charming's son's name I going to go back and just change it to whatever it ends up being! I never really like the name Leo and I really hope it isn't Leo. Don't ask me why I named him that in this story! :) Anyway, Enjoy this chapter! :) **

**Desperate Measures**

As Emma slept with her head on his shoulder, Charming was far from sleep because he felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place when it came to his family. He needed to be looking for his family, but he couldn't really leave Emma especially with the past she had been though plus the added concern that she would give herself up to King George.

_Ugh. I have to leave Emma, but not until tomorrow. I can't leave her tonight, not with her nightmares. Who could I have stay with her? Regina? No, I may need her help to find them. Red? No, she could help track them. Grumpy. Not the best choice, but I can have Whale make sure the staff watches her too. Ugh. I just know she will try to leave, but then again maybe she won't. Who am I kidding? It's Emma. _

Charming gently touched Emma's cheek with the back of his hand.

_I wish I could have been with her through that surgery. She shouldn't have had to go through that alone. The Doctor seemed nice enough, but his little girl needed more than that. She needed her parents, she needed me and Snow, but she had no one. That's not what I wanted for her. I wanted her to grow up loved and cherished by her family and kingdom. She should have gone to balls with pretty dresses, rode horses, learn to sword fight, learn to shoot a bow, and just enjoy her childhood. She didn't get to do any of it, instead she had to endure loneliness, confusion, pain, and feeling unwanted and unloved. No matter the reasons, I will never forgive myself for what I put her through. She shouldn't have had to go through life alone. _

Charming was pulled out of his thoughts when his daughter started to mumble something incoherent as she moved her head side to side. She was dreaming again. He just hoped it wasn't a nightmare. He didn't want to wake her if it was just a regular dream so he tried his best to soothe her without waking her up. "Shh, it's okay. Daddy's here." Charming murmured quietly as he gently stroked Emma's hair.

Emma settled down after a moment, putting her head back on Charming's shoulder and settling in a peaceful sleep at least for the time being.

Charming smiled, feeling like he was at least helping her a little now. _How can I leave her tomorrow? After she has been left alone in the hospital so many times, how I can I leave her to go find them? I know she would want me to go look for them, but that doesn't mean on a subconscious level she wouldn't be hurt by being left by one of her own parents. But, I have to find the rest of my family and Emma is too hurt to come with me. I'll just have to make it clear to her that she isn't to leave the hospital and that I'll be back. I really hate this, but what else can I do? Snow would know what to do, she always does. I'm going to find you Snow along with my son and grandson. Just keep them safe till I can save you from King George. Emma needs you. I need you. _

Charming looked at his sleeping daughter as a few tears left his eyes for his daughter and his missing family. He would make his family whole again even if it meant leaving Emma for a little bit. Emma would understand, at least he hoped she would. Charming sighed, but knew what he had to do. It just wasn't going to be easy.

**5:45 am**

_Emma woke up to a baby's cry and opened her eyes knowing that it was her brother she heard. She was back in the same dark room and she could tell she was still drugged, but she wasn't alone in the room. On the other side of the room in a basket was her baby brother. She got up as fast as she could which caused her to get a little dizzy and nauseated, but she pushed on and stumbled across the room to her brother. _

_"Oh it's okay, your big sister is here to save you. I'll do whatever it takes to make you safe again. I'm so sorry, it's my fault you are here, but I'm going to fix this and get you back to your family." Emma whispered to her baby brother as she held him in her arms._

_Emma stood up with her baby brother to try to find a way out of the room when she heard a chuckle from behind her. _

_"Are you ready to back up your words?" _

_Emma turned around to see King George standing in front of her with a whip in his hand. She shielded her brother as she saw that King George was preparing to use the whip. "Don't worry, I won't let him hurt you." Emma whispered to her baby brother before the whip came down against her back. _

_A cry slipped from her lips and she fell to her knees, but she didn't let go of her brother. She would protect him if it was the last thing she did. _

_King George continued to bring his whip down on Emma's back, but the baby was left untouched, safe in his sister's arms. _

_Emma felt like it took forever before King George stopped hitting her with the whip. Her brother wasn't crying at all as he was still safely in her arms. King George walked over to her and grabbed her brother out of her arms. _

_"No! Give him back! You can't take him!" Emma yelled as her brother started to cry again. _

_"You failed him... again." King George said with as smirk before he walked away with the baby in his arms leaving Emma in a heap on the floor. _

_Emma cried as she tried to get up to follow him, but her back was on fire from the beating she just suffered that it was making it impossible to move very fast. The door slammed shut and Emma crawled over to the door. She tried to open it, but it was locked. She sunk to the floor as she cried in anger and regret. "I'm sorry. I didn't save you. I'm sorry." Emma said through her tears. _

**6:15**

"I'm sorry." Emma cried as she moved her head side to side on the bed. "I'm sorry."

Charming woke up suddenly for the cries of his daughter and the way she was thrashing around on the bed. He sat up quickly and turned around to face his daughter. "Emma."

He held her to the bed as he tried it keep her from injuring herself further. He hated having to wake her when she had only been asleep for a little over an hour, but she was having a nightmare and he wasn't going to let her suffer through that. "Emma, baby, wake up."

Emma gasped as she woke up from her nightmare feeling confused. "I'm sorry. I failed. I didn't save him. I tried. I'm so sorry." Emma frantically cried out still half-asleep.

"Emma! Look at me!" Charming said forcefully as he took Emma's face in his hands. "It was just a dream, Emma, just a dream." Charming said as he looked into Emma's eyes.

"A dream?" Emma asked through her tears.

"Yes, honey, just a dream." Charming said softly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Emma said, as her eyes started to droop closed still not fully awake.

Charming could see that Emma was tired and didn't push to keep her awake to talk about her nightmare. He laid back down beside her putting his arm around her, which caused her to snuggle up against him putting her head on his chest. It didn't take long for her to fall back into a peaceful sleep, which was a big relief to Charming.

Charming glanced at the clock on the wall and knew he should get off of the bed and let Emma sleep for a little while longer. He laid there for a couple more minutes to make sure Emma was truly asleep before getting off the bed to sit in the chair next to the bed. He had to figure out a way to go find his family while making sure Emma would stay in the hospital where she needed to be.

**7:00**

Charming looked up from his phone to see a CNA come in with a breakfast tray for Emma, who was currently still sleeping. The CNA had to get Emma's vitals so she woke Emma up. Charming remembered them doing that to him and knew Emma would not be very happy about being woken up.

Sure enough, Charming watched as the poor girl woke up Emma, which got her a death glare from Emma. Charming tried his hardest to hide the smile that was coming to his lips at Emma's crankiness and was wondering if he should step in to help the girl when the girl finished with Emma's vitals.

"You could have been a little nicer." Charming said with a smirk as he got up and walked to the bed.

Emma turned to glare at her father; her crankiness was at a new, heightened state.

Charming smiled. "They brought you breakfast."

"I'm not hungry." Emma said in a grumpy voice as she glanced over to where the tray of food was sitting on the bedside table. Looking at the food was making her feel nauseous and her stomach was hurting.

"Emma, you need to at least try to eat some of it." Charming said as he positioned the bedside table over Emma and adjusted the head of the bed so that Emma was sitting up comfortable.

Emma glared at her father, but didn't start to eat even though she could tell he wasn't going to accept no for an answer. "I'm. Not. Hungry." Emma said slowly with frustration.

Charming gave Emma a disapproving look at her tone of voice. "Emma." Charming said in a voice the conveyed his lack of patience for her attitude and his seriousness about her eating.

"Ok, fine. I'll try." Emma said in an annoyed voice as she picked up a piece of toast and took a small bite of it.

Charming held back a chuckle at his daughter's behavior. After Emma tried to eat her breakfast, Whale came in to check on Emma and let her know they would be putting the cast on her hand sometime in the morning.

Whale was about to leave when Charming said, "Can I have a word with you?"

Whale nodded as Emma narrowed her eyes wondering what her father was doing. Whale and Charming stepped out of the room.

"I'm going to have to go look for my family, but I need you guys to make sure that Emma doesn't try to leave the hospital. I'm going have Grumpy come and stay around while i am gone, but I doubt that will he enough to keep her here." Charming explained.

"Why does she want to leave?" Whale asked slightly confused.

"She will want to help find our family, plus King George told her that he would let them go if she turned herself into him." Charming explained quickly.

"Ah I see. Well getting the cast put on her hand will take a while and I'll tell my staff to keep look out for her." Whale said.

"Good. Hopefully I won't be gone long. If you guys have any troubles or something is wrong with Emma, call me." Charming replied.

"Will do." Whale answered.

*****OUAT*****

Emma watched as her father talked to whale in the hallway and knew it was about her, she just wasn't sure what exactly it was about. She tried to read their lips, but unfortunately that wasn't apart of her superpower.

A nurse slipped in the room to take the tray of food that Emma had hardly ate and slipped Emma a note. Emma took it, but glanced up to see if her dad had seen it. He wasn't even looking in the room so she quickly opened it and read it.

_If you want to save your family, meet us at the troll bridge in two hours or else I will starting killing her family. Your brother will be first. _

Emma heard the door creak and she quickly hid the note under the blanket before looking up at her father with a questioning look.

"What was that about?" Emma asked after a moment of silence.

"I needed to ask him something." Charming answered. "Emma, in a little bit I'm going to go out to look for them again." Charming said as he looked at Emma.

"I'm coming with you." Emma said quickly as she started to try to get out of bed forgetting about the note.

Charming quickly walked over and stopped Emma from getting out of bed. "No, you aren't." Charming said firmly as he adjusted the blanket back over Emma.

"But I could help." Emma argued. She didn't like that he wasn't going to let her help, but she could tell there was no way he was going to let her come. _This actually could be the perfect opportunity to leave the hospital and meet King George. _Emma thought as she remembered the note that was under the blanket.

"Emma, you can't come with me, you haven't even been released from the hospital." Charming replied.

Emma sighed. "Ok." Emma said as she gave up. She was already thinking about ways to escape the hospital as soon as her father left.

"And Emma, I wish I didn't have to leave you and I wouldn't if it wasn't so important that I find your mother, your son, and your brother." Charming said, not wanting to hurt Emma by leaving her.

Emma hadn't even really thought about him leaving her because she planned on leaving right after he did, but it did sting a little that he was leaving her in the hospital. "It's okay. I understand you need to go find them." Emma said confidently.

Charming saw the brief hesitation and hurt the flashed through Emma's eyes, but he knew she understood and she seemed okay with it. "If you need anything, you can call me. Also Grumpy is coming to stay with you till I get back." Charming said knowing that Emma would not like this.

"What? I don't need someone to stay with me." Emma said thinking that this could put a damper in her plans if she had a watchdog with her.

Charming rolled his eyes. "He is just going to be here if you need something. I don't want you to be alone." Charming said softly.

_I guess Grumpy could be easy to get rid of when the time came. At least it isn't Granny or Regina or even Ruby; they would keep a closer eye on me. _Emma thought as she glanced up at her father.

"You know Grumpy is your godfather, right?" Charming said seriously.

Emma rolled her eyes because that was just weird.

Charming chuckled at Emma's response, but then he had to discuss one more issue before Grumpy showed up. "Also Emma, I know that turning yourself into King George is still on your mind, but it would do no good to do that. He is just trying to trick you so don't you even think about leaving this hospital while I'm gone. Got it?" Charming said sternly as she looked at Emma.

Emma couldn't quite look into her father's eyes because she was afraid the he would see what she was planning. "Yes, I understand." Emma replied.

"Good, now I think it's time you got a little more rest. You didn't sleep much last night." Charming said as he started to go for the PCA remote.

Emma panicked for a second realizing her father's plan to get her to go to sleep then be occupied with getting the cast put on her hand so that she wouldn't have a chance to escape. She quickly grabbed the remote before the father got it. "But, I may have more nightmares and... you won't be here." Emma said truthfully, but hoping that her father would back down from the pain medications.

Charming didn't think about that and was about to let it go, but then realized why she wouldn't want to take the pain medications, which was exactly reason he wanted her to take them. "Emma, does this have anything to do with you trying to leave the hospital?" Charming asked Emma.

"I'm not going to leave, I just don't want to have any more nightmares. The medicine gives me weird dreams." Emma said hoping her father would buy her explanation.

Charming narrowed his eyes before he replied. "Emma, are you in pain?" Charming asked softly.

"Uh...only a little." Emma lied, she was actually in quite a bit of pain, but didn't want him to push the pain meds.

"We need to push it and if this is going to be a problem, I'll talk to Whale about getting you off this pump and just have him give took some pain meds every once in a while." Charming replied, knowing that she was in more pain than she was admitting to.

"Ok, ok. I'll push it." Emma replied and she pushed it once.

"Push it again." Charming encouraged.

Emma knew if she wanted to make it out of the hospital before they put her cast on, she couldn't push the button again. She would have to fake it. "Ok." Emma said with a dramatic sigh as she acted like she pushed it again.

"Again." Charming said with a smile at Emma's expression as he asked her to push it again.

"But Dad..." Emma started but was cut-off by Charming.

"You do it or I will." Charming threatened.

Emma frowned as she pretended to push it again and then acted like she was getting sleepy.

"Be good while I'm gone and listen to Grumpy and the nurses." Charming said before leaning over and kissing Emma's forehead before whispering, "I'll be back before you know it, princess."

Charming smiled as he watched Emma drift off to sleep, thinking that it might not be as hard as he thought to keep Emma at the hospital. He waited until Grumpy came before heading out to look for his loved ones. He joined Regina, Robin Hood, Neal, Hook, and Ruby to look for them. Grumpy had been a little upset that he was on babysitting duty and instead of tracking down King George, but Charming explained that it was very important that they keep Emma safe and in the hospital. Plus King George may try to get Emma still if he thinks Emma isn't going to take him up on his deal, which made Grumpy a little more willing to stay and watch Emma.

*****OUAT*****

Emma waited till she heard David talking to Grumpy and then her father leave the room before opening her eyes. She knew she shouldn't feel upset that her father just left her, but there was a part of her that was a little disappointed that he left. But she understood why and knew him leaving would give her the opportunity to leave the hospital. She just wasn't sure how just yet.

Grumpy was sitting in the chair and didn't even notice Emma open her eyes. Emma started to contemplate how she could get past him and everyone else. She looks around the room until she comes across something on the wall. She couldn't, she wouldn't, but it probably would work... She glances over to grumpy and then takes the note out from where she was hiding it and reads it again. He had given her two hours to get there or else the deal was off and he would kill her brother. She looks up at the fire alarm and back at Grumpy.

"Uh Leroy, could you get me some water?" Emma asked shyly after a few minutes and in her best drowsy voice.

"Of course, your highness." Grumpy said, glad to be getting out of the room, it was a bit awkward.

"Please just call me Emma, you can save that for my parents." Emma said with a smile.

Grumpy nodded before leaving the room.

_I really shouldn't do this, but this is my only chance._ Emma thinks as she gets out of bed and pulls out the IV and takes off the sling. _Dad is going to kill me..._ Emma thinks as she looks for her clothes and manages to get dressed, but it takes longer than she would like with her shoulder and broken hand. She tries her best to ignore the pain she is feeling from her injuries and the growing pain in her stomach.

She finally is ready and makes her way across the room to pull the fire alarm. She pulls the alarm and then quickly makes her way out of her room, putting her hood up to disguise herself, she then goes though the crowded hallway where hospital personnel were getting patients out of there rooms and to the exits. She felt slightly bad as she saw the patients having to be moved, but knew it was the only way to save her brother from King George's hands, not to mention saving her mother and her son as well.

She rushed to the door that she knew led out to the woods. The one her Dad, as David Nolan had taken when he managed to escape the hospital. She quickly slipped through the door with a sigh of relief and made her way down the stairs, but it was harder than she thought it would be. She was weak from her injuries and in a lot of pain. She stumbled on the stairs and fell down the last few. She didn't want to think what she might have just done to herself as she landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. She knew she had to get up and move before anyone found her so she slowly picked herself off the floor, wondering if she would ever get to the troll bridge where she was suppose to meet King George. She stumbled out the door and down the path to the forest. She was going to save her family. She was the savior so that was her job. She would give up her life for love, the love of her family.

*****OUAT*****

"Did you deliver the note?" King George asked Ricky.

"Yeah, I had a nurse deliver it to her." Ricky said proudly.

"Are you sure it got to her?" King George asked, not trusting Ricky to do anything right.

"Yes." Ricky said confidently with a proud grin.

"Good. Then we need to get ready." King George said with a smirk. "I think I'm going to go inform our guests of the company they will be getting soon."

King George walked to the door to the basement and unlocked it before heading down the stairs to where he was keeping his prisoners.

Snow looked up as she saw King George coming down the stairs with a smirk on his face. Fear seized her heart because she knew it had to do with Emma. She was holding her sleeping son and her grandson was leaning against her, sleeping as well.

"As we speak, your lovely daughter is making her way to give herself up to us." King George informed Snow with a smirk.

"David wouldn't let her do it." Snow said confidently, but knew that Emma, if had the chance, would give herself up.

"Yes, but I heard that he was out looking for his family and left poor Emma alone in the hospital. I'm guessing Emma will find a way to sneak out." King George said with a chuckle.

Snow knew that he was right and hoped David would find her before she meet up with King George. She wasn't sure how injured her baby girl was, but if she was in the hospital she shouldn't be up and around dealing with people like King George. She was more than worried about her daughter and could tell in her heart that something wasn't right.

"Where are you meeting her?" Snow asked in low voice.

"You will see." King George chuckled.

"You are taking us with you?" Snow asked surprised and worried about King George's plans.

"I did promise her I would trade you guys for her, I need to keep up the pretense." King George replied with an evil smile.

"You better not hurt her." Snow said in angry, low voice.

King George chuckled. "Hurt her? I already did that, but you know I wouldn't mind hurting her son."

"You will not hurt him either." Snow said in a deadly voice as she put her arm around Henry, protecting him from King George.

"You think your words have any affect on what I will do?" King George said in an angry voice and then he grabbed Henry out of Snow's embrace.

"No, don't touch him!" Snow yelled as Henry was taken away from her.

Henry wasn't sure what was going on when he was abruptly woken up by King George and his Grandma. He started to struggle when he realized King George was taking him away from his Grandma.

King George unlocked the metal cuff off of Henry's wrist and dragged him to the staircase.

"Henry!" Snow yelled as she stood up with her son in her arms, who was now awake and crying.

"It's okay, grandma. I'll be fine." Henry yelled back, but Snow could see the fear in his eyes despite his brave words.

As Henry's eyes met the sunshine of the morning, he was blinded for minute before being pushed across the room to the strong man named Ricky. "Go put him in the trunk of the car. We will get the other two in a minute." King George said in an irritated voice.

Ricky nodded as he roughly pulled Henry off the ground and practically dragged him outside. Henry started kicking him and struggling to get free from the man. He was able to stomp really hard on his foot and get the man to let go of him.

Henry ran as fast as he could once he was free, hoping to be able to get away and get help, but his plans were cut short when he was hit hard with something in the arm and in the back that caused him to fall to the ground.

Henry knew he needed to get up, but he was in so much pain from whatever he was hit with. He tried to get up, but then felt himself being picked up off the ground roughly by Ricky. "No, let me go!" Henry yelled as a couple of tears ran down his cheeks.

Ricky was anger and ignored the kid as he roughly brought him to the car and put him in the trunk. He tied the boy up before shutting the trunk with the boy inside.

*****OUAT*****

"Hello?" Charming answered his phone without checking to see who it was.

_"Hey Charming, we have a problem." Grumpy answered._

Charming started to panic as soon as he heard Grumpy's voice; it had only been an hour since he left the hospital. "Is Emma okay?" Charming asked frantically.

_"Well the fire alarm went off and everyone was busy getting all the patients out of the building. We didn't realize Emma was missing until we did a head count outside." Grumpy explained. _

"What do you mean she is missing? Was there really a fire? Did you find her?" Charming asked as fear grabbed at his heart for his daughter who was now missing as well.

_"They think someone pulled the fire alarm because there wasn't a fire." Grumpy said. _

"So someone purposefully pulled the alarm?" Charming said with dread thinking he knew who pulled the alarm and the reason behind it. "Did you find Emma?" Charming asked, hoping they had found her.

_"I'm afraid not. Do you think King George set the alarm off and took her?" Grumpy asked._

"That could have happen, but I have a feeling it was Emma." Charming said as he jumped in his truck to rush back to the hospital. "I'm on my way there, keeping looking for her or any clues that could lead us to where she went."

_"Will do, see you in a few minutes." Grumpy said through the phone._

Charming shut his phone as he sped down the road toward the hospital. He had so many emotions running through his head, it was hard to just concentrate on one. He was worried about Emma and the rest of his family. He was anger at Emma for leaving the hospital after he specifically told her not to. He was anger at King George for taking his family and messing with Emma's emotions. He was afraid that King George might succeed in taking his family away or at least hurting them. Emma was already hurt and not being in the hospital wasn't going to help her injuries. His whole family was in danger and it was a lot to take on, but he would do anything for his family, even die for them.

Charming arrived at the hospital 10 minutes later and rushed to Emma's room to see if his suspicions were correct. He rushed over to the bed to see that her IV had been pulled out and the hospital gown was on the floor along with the sling and her clothes were gone. He was about to turn and leave the room when he saw a piece of paper on the floor.

*****OUAT*****

Emma clutched her side as she stumbled through the forest wondering if she would make it to the troll bridge and wondering if leaving the hospital was such a great idea after all. She leaned against a tree to catch her breath and took out her phone that she remembered to grab before she left. _Maybe I should just call Dad? We could ambush King George, but what if he hurts them because I didn't come alone? No, I can't call Dad. I have to do this alone. I can't give up not when I'm this far. _

Emma started walking again, she had 45 minutes to get there and she wasn't going to fail this time. She would save her family even if it meant giving up her own life to save them. _If by some miracle I get out if this alive, Dad and Mom are going to kill me for this stunt...but what can I say? Desperate situations call for desperate measures! _

_**Love to hear your thoughts! Please review! :)**_

**The thing that Henry got hit with is the same thing that Mulan hit Snow with in the beginning of season 2; I just had no idea what it was called! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully it will tie you over till the finale comes on tomorrow night! I know I can't wait to see it! :) Also I have a new short story coming out possible today, nothing big just an idea that came to be the other day! :) **


	18. Savior

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 18! So I know I said I was going to change the baby's name to whatever they ended up naming him, but considering in my story Neal is still alive, It would be weird to have them name him Neal. Any other story I write will have him as Neal though! I think it is a good idea for the baby's name! :) Oh and I loved, absolutely loved the season finale! :) Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :) Enjoy! **

**Savior**

Charming grabbed the piece of paper and opened it to read it.

_If you want to save your family, meet us at the troll bridge in two hours or else I will start killing your family. Your brother will be first. _

"David did you find anything?" Grumpy asked as he came into the room.

"Yeah, she left on her own accord and she got a note from King George to meet him at the toll bridge in two hours or else he would kill her brother." Charming fumed. That man had another thing coming if he thought he could touch either of his children.

"What are we waiting for?" Grumpy asked.

"Well we have to figure when she got this note." Charming said quickly. " I was with her all morning. Well not when I was talking to Whale and a nurse came in here when we were talking." Charming said as he put the pieces together.

"So what time would it be that they are suppose to meet?" Grumpy asked.

"That was around 8 so maybe 10? We might be able to catch up with her still. She can't be moving too fast in the state she is in." Charming said with a grimace thinking about his daughter being out alone.

"We can check the video cameras to see where she went." Grumpy suggested.

Grumpy and Charming went to the security office to check out the cameras around the time when the fire alarm was pulled. First, they saw Emma pulling the fire alarm before leaving the room.

"I knew it was her, but I just can't believe she did that." Charming said, briefly considering what it would have been like with a teenage Emma pulling stunts like this.

"There she is. She went out the same door you did. I should have thought about that." Grumpy commented as they watched the screen.

The men stormed out of the room and headed to the door that lead to the woods. They rushed down the stairs and were about to exit the building when Charming noticed some blood on the floor. Emma's blood.

"She must have fallen or something." Grumpy said as he noticed Charming looking at the blood.

Charming nodded and headed out the door. He took the path to the woods that he figured Emma would have taken.

"These footprints are Emma's and she was on her own." Charming commented. He was trying to figure out what the best plan of action would be. He decided that calling back up to meet them at the bridge was a smart idea so that they could possible catch up with Emma.

After calling Regina, Robin Hood, Ruby, Neal and Hook, Charming had Grumpy go back and get his truck to drive it closer to the bridge while he continued to follow Emma's trail. Charming told them to stay out of sight when they reached the bridge and to make sure the place was surrounded so King George couldn't escape with his family.

_Oh Emma, you are so much trouble_. Charming thought as he quickly followed her trail through the woods. The more and more that he saw on the trail, the more worry he felt for his daughter. She had fallen multiple times and she wasn't going in a straight line, but staggering here and there.

He looked at his phone it was 9:40. Twenty minutes. He needed to find her before she got to King George. He picked up his pace and hoped he wouldn't accidentally bypass Emma on the way. He was surprised she had made it this far considering what he had noticed from her tracks.

*****OUAT*****

Snow was terrified for Henry as she paced the best she could with her son in her arms and being chained to the wall. King George had taken Henry at least an hour and half ago. He hadn't come back down and she was worried for Henry. Did King George hurt him like he had hinted at?

Snow was in mid-pace as Ricky and Tommy came down the stairs.

"Let's go." Ricky said after he unlocked the metal cuff from Snow's wrist.

"Where's Henry?" Snow asked as Ricky pushed her towards the stairs.

Ricky ignored her as he roughly guided her upstairs by keeping a firm grasp on her upper arm.

After they got outside and Snow's eyes adjusted to the light, she searched the area for any sign of Henry. Then she saw King George with a smirk on his face.

"Where is my grandson?!" Snow yelled.

"Put her son in the backseat and put her in the trunk." King George ordered, clearing enjoying the worry in Snow's eyes.

"No! Don't you dare even try to touch him!" Snow growled at the two men as she held her son tighter.

"Take him." King George growled.

Ricky held Snow as Tommy took Leo from her arms.

"No!" Snow cried as Ricky pulled her to the trunk of the car. "No!"

"Make sure to tie her up and gag her." King George said as he went back into the house.

Ricky with the help of Tommy tied up Snow and gagged her. They opened the trunk and roughly put her in next to Henry.

Snow was glad to see Henry, but worried that he was injured. She also hated being separated from her son.

"Grandma." Henry cried at the relief of being with her again.

Snow wanted to ask him if he was okay, but the gag prevent her from talking to him. She tried to ask him anyway.

"The big guy hit me with something when I tried to get away, but I'm okay." Henry said even though he was hurting.

Snow could tell from his voice that he was hurting and could definitely see a bit of Emma in him when he said he was okay. He was being tough like his mother. If they were in a different situation she would have commented on it. Instead, Snow moved so their foreheads were touching. It was the best comfort she could offer him with her mouth gagged and her arms tied.

*****OUAT*****

Emma could see the toll bridge ahead and knew her trek through the woods was just about finished. She leaned against a tree trying to catch her breath and alleviate some of the pain from her side. She looked at her phone, which read 9:55. It had almost been two hours. She didn't want to go out to the bridge until she saw them so she found a hidden spot just inside the tree line to sit and wait.

She briefly wondered if her father was looking for her by now. She imagined he was, but he wouldn't know where to look. Part of her wished that he would come and save them all, but she knew that was unlikely. At least she could save her mom, her brother, and her son from King George. Three out of four is pretty good, right? It just would be nice to be saved as well, but she had to just come to the conclusion that the savior doesn't get a savior. She would have to do this on her own. She was just beginning to wonder if she was going to be able to get up when it was time.

Emma watched the bridge intently waiting for any sign of King George and her family. After a few minutes, she saw a car pull up next to the bridge and she knew it was time to get up to make her way to the bridge.

_I knew it was a mistake to sit down._ Emma thought as she got up with the support of the tree and then started the trek down to the bridge feeling completely alone in her endeavor, but she couldn't have been farther from the truth.

*****OUAT*****

_Where is she? She has to be somewhere close. _Charming thought as he reached the tree line. He had gotten texts from everyone else saying they had the area surrounded. He had lost Emma's trail, but she had to be hiding somewhere near where he was.

He started to make his way down to the bridge staying hidden along the tree line. He wanted to be close enough to the bridge to be able to protect Emma when she came out and be able to get his family back. The whole way down he kept a look-out for Emma, but didn't see her at all. He was beginning to wonder if she was so hurt that she wasn't going to be able to make it down to the bridge. He was beyond worried about his daughter by this point and couldn't wait to get her back to the hospital where he knew she would be taken care of.

He saw King George's car pull up and had to restrain himself from running straight for him. He was concentrated on the car and trying to see if his family was with King George that he didn't notice Emma walking towards the bridge. He saw as King George and two men got out of the car, but he didn't see his wife or grandson or son, but that didn't mean they weren't still in the car.

Emma didn't think she could have been in more pain then she was in as she walked to the bridge. She fell to the ground as she stumbled over a rock. She had lost count on the times she had fallen while on her trek to the troll bridge. It was hard to pick herself up from the ground with her shoulder injured and her broken hand, but she managed to get up once more. Her side was killing her, which she contributed to having to walk so far with broken ribs. She didn't realize how much pain she had been in until all of her pain medication had drained from her system.

Charming pulled his attention from the bridge to the area around the bridge where he figured Emma would be coming from. He scanned the area until he found Emma. She was closer to the bridge than he was and he mentally kicked himself for not watching for her sooner. He continued to walk closer to where King George and his men were without showing himself in case they decide to drive off before they could get the chance to save Emma and the rest of his family, if they were there. He was now only ten to fifteen feet away for where Emma was and he had to restrain himself from running out to her. She looked like she could fall over at any moment. She was holding her side with her right hand and walking really slow like every step was painful to her.

King George chuckled as he saw Emma walking towards him on the bridge. This wouldn't be much of a fight with the way she looked, but she would be anger when she found out that he wasn't planning on letting the rest of her family go. He actually was going to be successful once and all in destroying David's chance of happiness. He smiled evilly as he thought of his revenge finally being complete.

"I'm actually surprised to see that you came." King George lied with a smirk.

"Where are they?" Emma asked as she stopped at the edge of the bridge trying to summon as much strength as she could and try to hide some of the pain and weakness she was feeling at the moment.

"They are here." King George replied with a cocky grin.

"I want to see them." Emma said in a low voice.

King George turned to his men. "Get them out of the car." King George said.

Ricky and Tommy went to open the trunk of the car and first got Snow out. They took the gag off of her before turning to get Henry out of the car.

Snow looked Henry over with her eyes noticing that he was paler than normal and seem to be pain. Henry smiled at her trying to be brave despite the pain he seemed to be in. Snow then looked around for Emma and she gasped when she saw her daughter. If she could've she would have ran to her daughter because it looked like she was going to pass out right then and there. Emma's left arm was hanging in an abnormal way that suggested it was dislocated and her hand looked like it had been wrapped at the hospital. She was holding her side with her other hand and looked very pale. Ricky pushed Snow and Henry up to where King George was standing.

"See they are right here." King George said with a sneer at Emma.

Emma looked at her mother briefly who looked fine and then at her son. Fear seized her heart when she saw how pale he was and anger burned in her chest at King George for hurting her son. After a moment, she noticed that she didn't see her brother. "Where is my brother?" Emma asked, barely containing her anger.

"Tommy, get him." King George said.

Emma watched as the skinnier man got her brother from the backseat of the car and walked back over to where her mother and Henry were standing.

"Are you satisfied, Ms. Swan?" King George sneered.

"Let them go and I'll go with you." Emma replied.

"Emma, he's not going to let us go." Snow yelled, knowing that King George wouldn't like what she was saying, but she had to warn her daughter.

Ricky slapped Snow hard and fast in the chest, causing her to stumble backwards and fall to the ground.

"Grandma!" Henry called as he knelt by Snow.

Emma took a step forward as she saw the big man hit her mom. She became more anger and concerned for her family.

Ricky pulled his leg back ready to kick Snow, but Henry had seen him ready to kick his Grandmother and got between Ricky and Snow to take the hit instead of Snow.

"Stop!" King George said after Ricky had kicked Henry causing the boy to cry out in pain.

"Henry!" Emma yelled as she took another step forward, but another wave of pain came upon her as she did.

Snow was now protecting Henry and glaring up at Ricky with a death glare.

Charming had witnessed both his wife and grandson getting hurt by the big man and really wanted a piece of that man for hurting three of his family members. He saw Emma take another step forward and was trying to figure out when was best to interfere. He wasn't planning on Emma getting all the way to King George. He could now see Regina and Robin coming from behind where King George and his men couldn't see them.

"Let them go." Emma practically growled. "Have them walk over her and I'll walk over there."

"No. You first have to come over here." King George said with a smirk, knowing that he wasn't going to let any of them go.

"No, you let them go." Emma said firmly keeping her distance.

"Wow. You are selfish aren't you, risking your mother's life, your son's life and even your brother's life because you don't want to put yourself in danger. Just imagine what your mom and dad think of you now. What your son thinks of you?" King George said with a smirk.

Emma hesitated as she heard King George. He was right, how could she be so selfish and protect herself when her family needed her. "Okay, but you have to let them go, that was our deal." Emma said as she started to walk forward.

Charming was furious at King George for using Snow and himself as a way to get his daughter to feel guilty for being smart. He couldn't take it anymore; Emma was about five feet from King George, which was way too close. He saw Regina, Robin, and Hook walking towards the back of the car. He ran out of his hiding spot and ran fast towards Emma, but when King George saw David coming up behind Emma, he quickly went up and grabbed Emma. Charming didn't let that stop him as she continued to run right towards King George.

Emma hadn't known what was happening as King George's expression turned to fear and then he rushed out to grab her. When he turned her around and put his sword up to her throat, she noticed her father running towards her and slightly behind him were Neal, Grumpy, and Ruby. Although she should have been worried for her life, all she could think of was that she hadn't been alone.

"It's over, you are surrounded so let her go." Charming practically growled at King George.

King George glanced back to see people coming from behind them and in front of them. They were trapped, but he wasn't done yet. He started to back towards the railing of the bridge bringing Emma with him. "No, it's not over yet." King George sneered.

By this point, Ricky and Tommy had been easily overtaken and Snow, Henry, and Leo were safely with Regina and Robin Hood while Neal and Hook had Ricky and Tommy tied up.

"What are you doing?" Charming asked as walked closer to where King George had his daughter.

"I'm going to let her go. I don't think she would survive a fall that far. Do you?" King George said with an evil chuckle.

Charming saw the fear flash through Emma's eyes as she heard King George and then he saw the silent plea for him to save her. He started to walk slowly towards King George who was now just a couple of feet from him.

"Don't come any closer." King George said as he leaned Emma up against the railing.

Charming stopped, but knew he wouldn't be able to throw her over before he could get to them and King George had put down his sword in an effort to throw Emma over the bridge. Charming closed the gap between them at the same time King George picked Emma up to start to throw her over the bridge.

Emma gasped as she felt King George pick her up and her upper body started to go over the bridge railing.

Snow had been watching as the scene played out and she was terrified for her daughter, but when she saw what King George was planning on doing she ran down the side of the bridge to come on the other side of King George to help her husband overtake him and save their daughter.

Charming grasped Emma's arm right after he punched King George in the face. Snow kicked King George as hard as she could in the legs causing him to fall to the ground and let go of Emma. Charming was then able to grab on to Emma and pulled her back down to the ground, but as she was back on her own two feet she collapsed. Charming managed to catch her head before it hit the concrete bridge.

"Emma!" Both Charming and Snow cried at the same time.

King George was now being held by Grumpy and Ruby as Snow and Charming knelt beside Emma.

"We have to get her back to the hospital." Charming said as he looked up to Snow.

"Take her, we will take Henry and Leo with us and meet you there." Regina said to them.

"Okay, thank you Regina. Hook. Neal. Grumpy. Can you three take care of them?" Charming asked as he motioned to King George and his men.

Charming picked Emma up in his arms and stood up. He looked over to Snow before asking, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Snow said with a smile, knowing that this was all they were going to get for their reunion until later when they knew Emma was going to be okay.

Charming smiled back. He was glad that she was back with him and that their family was once again together.

They walked quickly to Charming's truck that Grumpy had parked a little ways away. Emma groaned as they got closer and both of her parents looked at her with concern.

"It's okay, Emma." Snow tried to soothe Emma.

Emma's eyes opened to notice her father was carrying her and her mother was holding her good hand. They were both looking at her with worried expressions. "It hurts."

"What hurts?" Charming asked as they reached the truck.

"My side...everything." Emma managed to say.

"Your right side?" Charming asked, knowing she had held her right side a lot.

Emma nodded as a few tears escaped her eyes. She was in a lot of pain and she had reached her limit.

Snow and Charming exchanged a worried glance before Snow opened the passenger door to the truck and then Charming gently place Emma in the truck. Snow got in right after and wrapped her arms around Emma being careful of her injured shoulder.

Charming hopped into the truck and glanced over to his wife who nodded at him that it was okay to start driving. He turned the car on and put it in gear before turning the truck around and heading towards town.

Snow was really concerned for her daughter who was leaning her head against her shoulder and moaning every once in a while from the pain. She kept seeing her husband glance over to look at Emma and she could see the worry on his face.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Snow asked quietly to her husband.

"Other than she is in a great deal of pain from her previous injuries, I'm not sure. It's looks like she may have dislocated her shoulder again. She took the sling off before she left the hospital. She has broken and bruised ribs from before that are probably, after that long walk, causing her a lot of pain. We had her on pain medication and I made her take some before I left so she should have been sleeping instead of leaving the hospital..." Charming stopped as he came to another conclusion.

"What?" Snow asked as she looked at her husband who was in deep in thought.

"Oh, when she gets better..." Charming said as he shook his head out of frustration. "Your daughter only pretended to push the button and then acted like she fell asleep."

Snow giggled, but stopped when Charming turned and glared at her. She bit her lower lip as she tried to not laugh or smile, but she had missed her husband and from the looks of things their daughter had been giving him a run for his money.

"Anyway, I am afraid that something else is wrong. The reason she was still at the hospital was because Whale wanted to make sure she didn't have any internal injuries." Charming finished and glanced back over to his daughter with fear and concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine, stop worrying about me." Emma mumbled without opening her eyes.

Charming and Snow exchanged an amused smile, despite the circumstances, over Emma's stubbornness.

"Of course, when are you not fine?" Charming replied with a smile.

Emma was about to respond to her father when another sharp pain in her side caused her to cry out and grab her side.

"Emma, what's wrong?" Snow asked as she felt Emma's forehead. "Oh Charming, she is burning up."

"We are almost there." Charming said as he picked up the speed.

"It's my side again. It hurts." Emma managed to say through her pain.

Charming reached his arm out and rubbed Emma's back. "Just hold on, honey."

They reached the hospital within a few minutes and park right outside the ER. Charming and Snow quickly got out of the truck. Charming went around the truck and picked Emma up in his arms to bring her inside.

"We need help here." Snow yelled as they came in with Emma.

"What happen to her?" Whale asked as Charming laid Emma on the stretcher they brought over for her.

"She keeps saying her side hurts." Snow answered.

"Which side?" Whale asked with concern.

"Her right side." Charming answered quickly.

Whale felt Emma's right side and she moaned from the pain. "We have to get her to surgery." Whale said urgently.

"Surgery?!" Both Charming and Snow said at the same.

Emma starts to get up from the stretcher. "No. No. I'm fine."

"Hey, hey." Charming said as he stopped Emma from getting up. He could see the fear in her eyes and he had a pretty good idea of what she was afraid of. "You need this surgery, Emma, and when you get out we will still be here. We won't leave." Charming said as he touched Emma's face.

Emma looked from her father to her mother who came over and grabbed her hand giving her an encouraging smile. She trusted them, they were her parents and she saw no lie in her parents' eyes. "Ok." Emma said in a voice just above a whisper.

"We have to go." Whale said to Emma's parents.

Charming nodded before leaning down and kissing Emma's forehead. "We will be waiting for you."

Snow lightly touched Emma's face before giving her a kiss of her own. "See you soon, Emma." Snow added with a loving smile.

Snow held onto Charming's arm as Whale and the nurses wheeled Emma away through the OR doors. "Charming..." Snow said slowly in a worried voice.

"She will be okay." Charming said as he turned to his wife and then kissed her.

"What was that for?" Snow asked a little out of breath.

"I'm glad your back. I missed you. We both did." Charming replied.

Snow smiled up at her husband, "I missed you too."

"Are you okay?" Charming asked suddenly as he looked his wife over.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." Snow said quickly.

Charming chuckled at how similar that sounded to his daughter. "Really? You do know who you sound like, well maybe she got it from you.."

Snow rolled her eyes. "I really am fine, just a little tired. We really should see if Henry is okay."

"Yes, we need to. He wasn't looking very good either." Charming said as they turned to the receptionist to ask if their grandson was there.

It didn't take long for them to track down their grandson who had been checked into the ER. He had a broken arm and a broken rib. They wanted to keep him for observation as well so they arranged for him to be put in Emma's room.

"How are you doing, buddy?" Charming asked.

"I'm good now, just a little sleepy." Henry replied with a sleepy grin. "Is my mom okay?"

"She is still in surgery, but she'll be okay." Snow replied as she brushed some of Henry's hair out if his eyes. "You should sleep. When you wake up your mom will be back."

"Ok." Henry said as he closed his eyes.

Snow and Charming looked down at their grandson with smiles as he drifted off to sleep.

"Excuse me, your daughter is out of surgery and she is in post-op. I can bring you guys to her." The nurse said.

Charming and Snow looked at Henry then at the door.

"Go, I'll stay with him." Regina said. Granny and Red were taking care of Leo while he rest of them were at the hospital. Regina and Robin Hood had stayed with Henry since the troll bridge.

"Thanks, Regina." Snow said before Charming and Snow followed the nurse to the post-op care unit where Emma was.

"Now, she just came out of surgery so she won't be awake yet, but you can sit with her anyway." The nurse informed the parents. "Here she is, Dr. Whale will be in to talk to you guys in a little bit."

"Thanks." Snow said before the nurse left.

Snow and Charming walked up to where their daughter lay on the bed, one parent on either side of the bed. Charming brushed the tips of fingers against his daughter's cheek while Snow touched Emma's hair.

"She looks so pale. Is that normal?" Snow asked out of worry.

"I'm sure it is." Charming replied. "She told me when I was checking her in last time that she had to get two surgeries in her lifetime. She had to get her tonsils removed when she was five, but her foster parents decided they didn't want her anymore and left her to go through the surgery and the recovery alone."

"Oh Charming. She was only five?" Snow cried at the thought of her daughter going through an operation alone at five years old.

"Yes, that is why she freaked out earlier about having to have a surgery. She also had an emergency surgery for a stab wound, but she didn't tell me about that one." Charming said softly as he looked at his daughter.

"A stab wound?" Snow said with a horrified look.

"I know, but she is with us now and that's in the past." Charming said as he reached over the bed to put his hand on Snow's shoulder.

Snow nodded, but tears were coming down her face.

Charming looked at his wife with concern because she seemed worn out and tired. He walked around the bed to his wife to put his hands on her shoulders. "Why don't you sit down, honey? I doubt she is going to wake for a while." Charming said softly.

"Charming, I'm fine." Snow said as her husband led her to the chair to sit down.

"I'm about to ban that word from this family's vocabulary." Charming said with a chuckle.

"Good luck with that." Snow said with a grin.

Charming sat in the chair next to his wife as they both waited for their daughter to wake up. They were both determined to be there when she woke up. They sat with their daughter, both lost in their thoughts, until Whale came in.

"Well the surgery went well. I thought her appendix had burst, but it hadn't. It did however have to be removed. Also we reset her shoulder since it somehow got dislocated again." Whale informed Snow and Charming.

"So she is going to be okay?" Snow asked.

"With lots of rest and if she doesn't try to escape the hospital again, she will be okay." Whale said with a smirk.

"Oh she won't be going anywhere, I'll see to that." Charming replied firmly.

"She will probably sleep for a little while longer and then we will bring her back to her room." Whale said. "After I make my rounds, I'll come check on her again." Whale said before leaving the room.

Charming and Snow stayed with Emma as the nurses came in and out to do her vitals every 15 minutes.

"Looks like your daughter is coming around." The nurse said after finished taking Emma's vitals.

Charming and Snow both got up as the nurse left the room, Charming went around the bed to be on Emma's right side as Snow stayed on her left side.

Emma moved her head from side to side as she started to wake up. She wasn't sure why she felt so sleepy. She tried to open her eyes, but she was just so tired that she would just close them again. She felt someone grab her hand and squeeze it, she wasn't alone. She tried to open her eyes again and made out two shapes. "Mom?" Emma said sleepily then turned her head. "Dad?"

"We are right here, Emma." Charming said softly as he held Emma's hand with one hand and reached up to touch Emma's head with the other one.

"What happen?" Emma mumbled.

"You had to have surgery, Emma." Snow said as she tucked a strand of hair behind Emma's ear.

"Oh, yeah." Emma replied a little less confused. "You didn't leave?" Emma asked in awe.

"Of course not." Charming said firmly, yet gently.

Emma smiled softly as her eyes started to droop close, but then she tried to open them again not wanting to fall asleep just yet.

"It's okay, Emma, you can sleep. We will still be with you when you wake up." Charming said as he gave Emma's hand a squeeze.

"Ok...I love you...Mom, Dad." Emma mumbled as she drifted back to sleep.

Charming and Snow exchanged a touched look before looking back at their daughter who was peacefully sleeping. There family once again reunited and they were all safe and sound, now it was time to recuperate.

**Love to hear your thoughts! Please review :)**


	19. Sore Subject

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 19! Yay! 100 Reviews! :) Thanks so much for all the support for this story! It means a lot! This probably would have come out sooner, but I had an interview this week! :) I hope you like it! :) The first part in italics is Emma's dream (and if you don't remember the beginning of the dream it's in chapter 6). Enjoy! :) **

**Sore Subject**

_Throughout the rest of the day and night, Charming stayed by Emma's side keeping her as cool as possible and soothing her with words of comfort._

_"Daddy." Emma cried out through her fever dreams._

_"I am here, Emma. Daddy's here." Charming soothed Emma._

_"Mommy." Emma cried out again, this time for her mother._

_"It's okay, baby. Mommy will be home soon." Charming comforted his daughter. "Mommy and Daddy love you so much and we will get you better again." _

_Charming took care of his daughter throughout the night, keeping a cold compress on her forehead and calming her nightmares. He sat on the bed with his back to the headboard as he wiped the sweat off of Emma's forehead._

_"Daddy." Emma whimpered as she opened her eyes. _

_"I'm right here, baby." Charming said as he lightly touched her face. _

_"I don't feel good." Emma cried as she started to shiver. _

_"I know, baby." Charming said as he pulled the covers over his daughter. "Just tried to sleep, princess." Charming said before laying down and letting Emma snuggle up beside him. _

_"Ok, Daddy." Emma whispered as she held on to her dad's shirt with her little fingers._

* * *

><p><em>Snow hadn't planned on getting home so soon, but she was able to get finished early and get home by breakfast time. She expected her husband and daughter to be up and eating by now, but the kitchen was empty. "Maybe they are getting a late start today." Snow said to herself as she made her way to her bedroom. <em>

_She walked into her room expecting to just find her husband, but instead she found her husband and daughter both asleep on the bed. Emma was curled up under her father's arm and snuggled up against his side. Snow smiled as she tiptoed into the room to her side of the bed, the side Emma was on or was on because now she was in the middle of bed. _

_Snow could tell by the red in Emma's cheeks that she was sick. She felt Emma's forehead with the back of her hand. "Oh baby." Snow said softly. _

_Emma blinked opened her eyes. "Mommy?" _

_"Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?" Snow whispered, not wanting to wake up her husband who looked like he didn't get much sleep the last night and from the looks of it, he looked like he might have caught whatever Emma had. _

_"I'm okay, just tired." Emma said bravely. _

_Snow smiled seeing past Emma's façade. "Are you hungry?" Snow asked softly. _

_Emma shrugged her shoulders. _

_"Well, you should eat something. I'll be right back. Stay with Daddy." Snow whispered with a smile. _

_"Ok." Emma said as she snuggled closer to her father, who was still sleeping. Emma smiled because she was glad her mom was home._

* * *

><p>Emma woke up slowly, blinking are eyes open to see her mom by her side. "Mom." Emma mumbled with a smile. "I missed you."<p>

"I missed you too, sweetie." Snow said with a touched smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine." Emma replied. "Where's dad?" Emma asked as she turned her head to look around the room to see she was back in her hospital room.

"He went to get some coffee. He hasn't slept much lately." Snow replied with a look of concern for her husband.

Emma nodded, but then saw the bed behind Snow. "Henry!" Emma yelled and started to get out of bed.

Charming walked into his see his daughter halfway out of bed and his wife trying to get her to lay back down. He ran over putting his coffee down on the side table and gripped Emma's shoulders with one arm and snaked one arm under her knees to put her back in bed. "Emma, calm down." Charming said sternly as he put her on the bed and kept her still as possible.

"Henry is fine, Emma. He is sleeping." Snow said trying to calm her daughter. "He broke his arm, a broken rib, and has some bruises, but they are just keeping him here for observation." Snow added as Emma calmed down some.

"He's okay?" Emma asked through a wince.

"Yes, Emma, he is okay. Just tired." Charming answered as he let go of Emma and then pulled the blankets up over her.

Emma nodded, but then winced again. She knew her parents were going to bug her about taking more pain medications, but she didn't want to sleep yet. "I had more of that dream." Emma started as she looked at her dad.

"What dream?" Snow asked as she looked at Emma and then Charming.

Charming quickly explained Emma's dream when it looked like Emma wanted him to tell her. After filling Snow in, Charming turned to Emma. "So was your dream different this time?"

Emma nodded. "Mom came home early and found us asleep in your bed. She went to go get me something to eat, but then I woke up." Emma explained, but couldn't stop the wince as she shifted slightly in bed.

Charming and Snow smiled softly as they could tell Emma was trying to hide her pain and distract them from having her take more pain meds.

"What time is it?" Emma asked trying to distract her parents.

"Three." Snow answered with a raised eyebrow.

"And I think it's time you had some more pain medicine." Charming added as he went to grab the remote.

"I don't need it." Emma said pulling it away. "Or at least let me do it myself."

"Oh I don't think so young lady." Charming said sternly as he took the remote. "You may have tricked me last time, which I'm not very pleased about by the way, but you have lost that privilege. And speaking of your stunts, we mays well talk about you leaving the hospital after I specifically told you not to."

Emma hadn't moved a muscle since her father started talking, she felt a lecture coming on and she never had a lecture from her father. Foster dads, yes, but they were never out of love and concern for her well-being. This time she wasn't scared because she was going to get beat, but she was more scared that she had disappointed her father. She couldn't help feeling like a little girl again. She looked over to her mom for support.

"Don't look at me this is between you and your father." Snow said with an amused look.

Emma looked back at her father sheepishly. "Sorry." Emma said.

"For?" Charming asked firmly. When Emma didn't answer, he continued to answer for her. "Pulling the fire alarm..."

"You pulled the fire alarm?" Snow asked in shock.

Emma glanced at her mother and then back at her father. "Yeah." _Ah I should have just taken the medicine... _Emma thought as she saw her father's face and her mother's face.

"I had to do something to get everyone's attention off of me." Emma defended herself.

"So you could escape the hospital?!" Charming practically yelled, but lowered his voice so he won't wake Henry.

"I had to go and save them. King George said he was going to start killing them." Emma said in her defense, but then thought of something. "How did you find us?" Emma asked.

"I found the note on the floor." Charming answered.

"So you understand, I had to go." Emma said hopefully.

"No. You should have told me and we could have figured something out that didn't risk your life, but also saved our family." Charming replied sternly.

"But.." Emma started to protest.

"No, Emma, I'm not done." Charming interrupted sternly.

Emma gulped and glanced at her mom, but got no support from her. If anything, it was two against one at the moment. Her mother was giving her the mom look that wasn't very comforting.

"Don't you ever put yourself in danger like that again. You gave your mother heart attacks and me today. There were many other ways this could have been handled without you having to risk your life by trekking through the forest in your condition when you were suppose to be in the hospital, then almost getting yourself thrown over a bridge and then collapsing because you should have been in the hospital in the first place!" Charming said in a frustrated voice.

"I didn't think there was another way." Emma said in guilty voice.

"Well you better think about it if anything like this ever happens again." Charming said firmly.

"Ok." Emma replied without even thinking about it. She wasn't sure where her backbone went, but her father wasn't kidding this time. She really wouldn't have changed anything she did and she would gladly do it again if it meant saving her family. "But, how could I put my safety over their safety? If I hadn't gone alone, King George might have hurt them or gotten away with them. I couldn't risk their lives just so that I would be okay. " Emma added, feeling confident in her actions, but one look at her father and mother had her looking at the sheets again.

"Emma, we do things together in this family. If I hadn't come with back up, you along with your mother, your brother, and your son probably would still be with King George. You saw that he wasn't planning on letting them go. If you would have come to me, we could have had all the back up and been able to trap King George without you even having to be there." Charming paused as he lifted Emma's chin with his finger so that she would look at him. "Emma, each one of us on our own can be broken, but together we are strong and we can't be broken as easily, if at all. We love you, Emma, and we never want you to be in danger, but if you don't confide in us, how are we suppose to stand by you. Sometimes you can't do things alone and you shouldn't have to do things alone because we are here for you. But, today you put yourself in danger and could have died because of your actions. Next time remember that you don't have to do things alone because we are a family." Charming finished softy with his eyes filled with love and concern.

"We know that you did what you did out of love and out of selflessness, but we can't bear the thought of losing you. So before you put yourself in danger make sure you have done everything else possible, like confiding in one of us and not trying to take it all on your shoulders." Snow added softly. "And you really shouldn't pull the fire alarm especially in a hospital with sick and injured people."

"Yeah, I don't think Whale was very happy about that." Charming added.

Emma was a bit baffled by the love, devotion, and concern that her parents just displayed to her. She knew they loved her, but hearing their anger at her putting herself in danger just made her want to cry. "I really am sorry for scaring both of you. I'm not use to having someone worry about me, well until you guys came along, but I'm just not use to someone caring whether I put myself in danger or not. I'll try to not do that again, but I can't make any promises." Emma said quietly looking between her parents then Emma faced her father before saying, "Thank you for coming and saving us all. I'm sorry I caused you so much worry, I just didn't want to be responsible for my brother dying." Emma responded in a soft voice.

"Oh Emma, nothing is your fault or would have been your fault. This was all King George's doing and he tried to mess with you to get to me. He knew the right things to say to you to make you give yourself up." Charming replied. "I just wished you would have listened to me and not him." Charming added with a small, sad smile.

"I'm sorry." Emma said honestly.

"I forgive you. I'm just glad your okay now." Charming said and then leaned down to kiss her forehead. "But don't you ever do that again."

"What? Pull the fire alarm?" Emma said with a cheeky grin.

Charming raised his eyebrow at Emma before chuckling at how much of handful she would have been as a kid if she was like this as an adult. He shook his head and sighed. "What are we going to do with you?"

Emma just gave her father her charming smile.

Snow laughed as she saw Emma's smile that she obviously inherited from her father. When she got a questioning glance from her husband, she said, "Like father, like daughter."

Charming smiled knowing what his wife was referring to, where Emma inherited that smile.

"It's good to see you awake, Ms. Swan." Whale said as he came into the room, looking at her chart. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Emma replied which got her looks from both her parents, but they just got up and moved back so that Whale could do what he needed to do.

"Right, of course." Whale said with a cocky smile. He started to look over Emma and check her bandage from the surgery. "What have you been doing? It's bleeding."

"She tried to get out of bed to see how Henry was doing." Charming answered for his daughter.

Whale nodded as he removed the bandage, which caused Emma to wince in pain, which caused her parents to come back over to her, one on each side of the head of her bed.

Emma reached for Snow's hand and Snow gladly took it. Charming placed one hand on Emma's head as he looked towards Whale who was now putting pressure on the incision site, which was causing Emma more pain.

"She broke a couple of stitches. Lucy can you go get the supplies I'll need to stitch this up?" Whale asked.

"Yes, sir." Lucy replied before exiting the room.

Charming reached over Emma and pulled the PCA remote out to push the button. His baby was in pain and he wasn't going to just stand there and watch her suffer. He was about to push it went Emma looked over at him.

"I don't need that." Emma said while she winced once more.

Charming smiled softly. "Yes you do." Charming said before he pushed the button. "Sometimes your Dad has to step in." Charming added as pushed the button again and then tucked a strand of Emma's hair behind her ear.

Emma smiled as she looked at her Dad and could see the love shining through his eyes. She looked at her Mom and saw the same love in her eyes. The medicine started to ease the pain, but not totally. It also made her sleepy, but didn't make her fall asleep this time, maybe she was getting use to it.

Lucy was back and Whale started stitching her incision back up. She hated stitches not that she wasn't use to them, but because she had to get them quite a few times when she was younger. This time she could only feel a little of the pain, but it was mostly being aware of what was happening and the memory of what it felt like to get stitches. She flinched as she thought of how it felt when she was younger when she had to get stitches from a cut she got from what her foster parents had claimed to be a "kitchen accident" when a knife accidentally slipped from her foster mom's hand and cut her arm. When in fact her foster-mother did it on purpose because Emma had sassed off to her about always having to clean the kitchen after meals.

"Emma." Snow said for the third time. "Emma."

"What?" Emma asked as she was pulled out of her thoughts.

"It's over. Does it hurt?" Snow asked a little worried as she saw Emma flinching.

"No, it doesn't. I can hardly feel it." Emma replied.

Snow glanced over to her husband who looked worried as well, but just shrugged it off when it seemed like Emma was comfortable enough.

"Ok, Ms. Swan. No more getting out of bed unless one of your parents or one of the nurses is assisting you. But, I would like you to stay in bed as much as possible for the next day or two until your incision is a little more healed. Also the dinner trays will be coming around soon and I would like you to try to eat as much as you can." Whale instructed then started walking towards the door before saying, "And Ms. Swan, please don't pull the fire alarm again." Whale said with a cocky grin.

"Oh she won't be doing that again, will you Emma Ruth?" Charming said sternly as he looked down at his daughter.

Emma gulped. "No, I won't." Emma answered with a grimace.

Snow swallowed a smile at Emma's face as she answered her father. It was so cute and funny the way she was looking up at her father with a face full of guilt and was that a little bit of fear?

"Good, that was a big headache, having to get all those people out of the building and then to find it was a false alarm and then we had to bring them all back in. We only finished getting everyone back where they needed to be when you came back." Whale complained.

"Well you know you need to practice fire drills every once in a while." Emma said with a cocky grin before she got three glares sent her way. She really wished Henry was awake; at least he would be on her side.

"Well I'd rather like to know about them beforehand so that I wouldn't be in the middle of a surgery with a man's chest open." Whale said.

"Oh, sorry about that." Emma said with a shock look on her face.

"The man ended up being okay so it's alright. Anyway, I have a few more patients to check on, but I'll be back to check on you and your son in a couple of hours." Whale said with a smile.

Emma looked from one parent to the other who had identical looks on. "Ok, ok. Pulling the fire alarm wasn't a good idea, I get it."

Charming and Snow started laughing at Emma's response and laughing even more at Emma's confused face because they were laughing.

"What's so funny?" Henry said as he woke up from the laughing.

"I don't know, ask them." Emma said in a frustrated voice as she pointed to her parents.

Henry looked over at his grandparents who had settled down to talk.

"Your mom just got in trouble with the doctor for pulling the fire alarm." Snow replied with a grin.

Henry looked over at his mom with a shocked yet an awed expression. "You pulled the fire alarm? That's awesome!"

Emma smiled and started to laugh at her parents' expressions turning from amused to disappointed. "Yes, finally someone is on my side." Emma said with a cocky grin.

"Henry, it's not awesome." Snow said with a frown.

"It sounds really funny! I can just imagine everyone having to be wheeled out of the hospital. Is that how you escaped the hospital? That's perfect." Henry said with a look of awe at his mother.

"Ah kid... that's a sore subject." Emma said as she glanced at her Dad who was starting to scowl at her again. _Crap. I'm never going to live this down am I?_

"David, maybe you and Emma can tell us about your little adventure in the Enchanted Forest." Snow said trying to reign her husband back in.

Charming looked at his wife and smiled. They were back together again besides that their son was with Granny and Ruby. "Yes, I think that's a good idea, but maybe a little later." Charming said with a smile as he saw that his daughter looking sleepy.

Snow understood what he was saying and nodded with a grin.

"Why not now? Wait. Whale didn't say when I could leave this place." Emma said as she looked from one parent to the other.

"Not anytime soon. He just said he didn't want you out of bed without assistance so I doubt you are leaving today or tomorrow." Charming responded.

Emma groaned which got a chuckle from Henry at how his mom was acting.

"Mom, you just had surgery, they aren't going to let you leave the same day." Henry said with a grin.

"You're not helping." Emma said with a frown, but then yawned.

"Emma, why don't you sleep until your dinner gets here?" Snow said softly as she pulled Emma's blankets up to her chin.

Emma was about to protest, but she really was having a hard time keeping her eyes open to start an argument about not being tired so she just simply said, "ok."

Charming chuckled softly at Emma's response. She was really cute when she was tired and injured. He walked around the bed to go properly check on his grandson. "How are you feeling, buddy?"

Henry shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, I guess."

"Is your arm hurting you at all?" Snow asked with concern.

"A little, but it's not bad." Henry replied bravely.

"I'm going to go see if one of the nurses can give him some more pain medicine." Snow told Charming. She could tell that her grandson was in more pain then he was letting on to, so much like his mother.

"Ok. I'll hold down the fort." Charming said with a grin.

As Snow left the room, Charming turned to his grandson. "Thank you for taking care of our family while Emma and I were gone. I'm really proud of you." Charming said sincerely.

Henry hadn't expected his grandpa to be proud of him. "I didn't do much."

"Oh but you did. You kept faith that we would come back and you helped your grandma with your uncle. And I also saw how you protected her from the man who was going to hurt her. You are becoming a man and I am proud of you." Charming replied seriously as he looked into Henry's eyes.

"Really?" Henry asked with a grin.

"Yes, but don't follow in your mother's footsteps and pull fire alarms to escape hospitals. Okay?" Charming replied with a smile.

"I'll try not to." Henry said with a giggle, but then winced and touched his ribs with his hand that was not in the sling.

"Good." Charming said with a grin.

Snow walked in with a nurse that gave Henry some pain medicine that made him sleepy as well.

"Now sleep tight, Henry." Snow said as she kissed Henry's forehead.

"Ok." Henry said as he too fell asleep.

Charming came over to Snow leaned down and kissed her gently as he wrapped his hands around her. "I'm so glad we are all together again."

"Me too." Snow said as she leaned into his hug. "I just wish that Leo could be here with us too."

"Yeah, I know, but hospitals are no place for babies." Charming replied with a grimace.

"What are we going to do tonight?" Snow asked thinking about wanting her family together tonight, not separated.

"I don't know. We can't leave Emma here alone, not after everything she has been through. Although I doubt she will try to leave again, I don't plan on leaving her to her own devices again." Charming replied.

Snow smiled, but still wasn't sure where that left them. "I probably should call Granny and check on him." Snow said after a moment.

"That's a good idea." Charming said, still trying to think of a solution to their problem. He would really like their whole family together, but Leo wouldn't be able to stay at the hospital.

Snow left to go call Granny while Charming stayed with the 'kids.' He hated that they both were hurt. He would gladly take their places if he could, but that was not how it worked. He looked at both his daughter and grandson and felt immense pride and love for each of them. He gently kissed Henry's forehead and then walked over to his daughter's bed. He kissed her forehead as well before sitting in the chair that Snow had put in-between the beds. He continued to watch over his daughter and grandson as they slept, thinking of how blessed he was to have such a wonderful family.

**Love to hear your thoughts! Please review! :)**


	20. Unexpected Turn

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 20! Sorry for the long delay! Here is the next chapter and the next one will be out in the next few days! Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

_**Unexpected Turn**_

"Emma." Snow said softly as she tried to wake her daughter for dinner. "Emma, it's time to eat."

Emma groaned. "Not hungry." Emma mumbled without opening her eyes.

"Emma, you have to at least try to eat." David said from the other side of Emma.

Emma groaned again, but still didn't open her eyes.

"See what I have been dealing with?" David said with a chuckle. "You know, Snow. There is something that you should know that happen in the Enchanted Forest...well more specifically what your daughter did.." David started.

"I'm up!" Emma said as she opened her eyes. She knew she couldn't necessarily get in trouble for trying to jump over the log on the horse, but it was still nerve-racking thinking of her mom finding out about her stunt.

David gave an amused smile as Snow looked between her husband and daughter with a confused look.

"Wait, what did you do?" Snow asked.

"I thought I was suppose to be eating?" Emma said with a nervous smile. She kept reminding herself that she was 30 years old, a little too old to get in trouble with her mother.

Snow narrowed her eyes as she looked at Emma. "This conversation isn't over." Snow said as she moved the bedside table over Emma's bed. David carefully adjusted Emma's bed so she was sitting up.

Emma started picking at her food as David and Snow sat down in the two chairs in the room.

"So mom what did you do in the Enchanted Forest?" Henry asked from the other bed with a cheeky grin. He was already eating his dinner.

"Nothing." Emma answered as she turned to glare at her Dad who just gave her an innocent smile. "Mom, have you noticed something different about Dad? Maybe something very important that's missing?" Emma said with a cheeky smile at her Dad.

"What? David, what is she talking about?" Snow asked in confusion.

It was David's turn to glare at his daughter for selling him out, but then smiled when he thought of a way to get revenge. "Emma tried to jump over a log with a horse."

Emma's mouth dropped open at what her Dad just said. Then she pulled together quickly to get her revenge. "Dad tricked the men that followed us with his wedding ring." Emma said with a smirk.

"Enough!" Snow said before looking at her daughter. "You rode a horse?"

"Yes." Emma said slowly not sure what her mother was thinking.

"Did you like it?" Snow asked.

"Yeah." Emma answered still confused when the 'momma Snow' would come out.

"Why did you jump over a log? You couldn't have ridden enough to be ready for that." Snow asked.

"We were racing and there was log in the way. I wanted to win." Emma said with a sheepish smile.

"Oh Emma. Did you make it over it?" Snow asked.

Emma glanced at her Dad hoping for some help, which he did give her a sympathetic smile, but no help. "I fell off the horse." Emma said quietly.

Snow eyes widen in fear, although Emma was okay it was just the idea of her baby falling of a horse that was terrifying.

"Snow, she hit her head, but other than that she was fine." David tried to calm his wife. "Oh and your daughter cheats just like you do." David said with a chuckle.

"I don't cheat!" Emma said at the same time as her mother.

"I was right." David said with another chuckle, which got looks from both his wife and daughter. "Like mother, like daughter."

Henry laughed with David as Snow and Emma just grinned.

"Maybe they should race each other, Gramps." Henry said with a grin, thinking they needed family day after their separation.

"I would like to see that!" David said with a laugh.

"Maybe when Emma and Henry are recovered we can have a family day at the stables." Snow said with a grin. "But no jumping over logs." Snow added as she pointed to her daughter.

Emma's smile disappeared at the tone of her mother's voice. Emma nodded.

"So you lost your wedding ring?" Snow asked her husband.

"He didn't lose it." Emma said with a chuckle.

"What happen?" Snow asked her husband.

"After Emma and I had slayed the two dragons. We found the ring that creates a portal, but three men had been following us and they showed up right after we found the ring. We fought them, but one of them had Emma. He said he would give me Emma if I gave him the ring. So I tricked him and gave him my wedding ring instead. Then Emma and I ran, threw the ring down to make the portal and jumped in." David explained.

Snow nodded her head. "Ok."

"Wait. What? That's it?" Emma asked with a shocked look on her face.

"I'd rather have you than his wedding ring." Snow said with a soft smile.

Emma wasn't expecting that at all, but it was so simple and sweet that she couldn't even respond. Both of her parents were looking at her lovingly and she had to try her best to keep the tears from coming to her eyes. She wasn't crying in front of her whole family.

"So how did you guys slay the dragons?" Henry asked seeing his Mom was uncomfortable with the attention from her parents. "And why was there two?" Henry added, someday he was going to fight a dragon.

Emma smiled as she listened to her Dad explain how they slayed the dragons. She let him tell the story as she kept trying to eat her food. It was all soft foods and liquids. It wouldn't have been a bad meal with the pudding and jello, but her side hurt and she hadn't eaten a lot in the last few days so a couple of bites filled her.

Emma listened to her father and Henry talk about the dragons for the next couple of minutes feeling content to just listen to them. When her father talked about her, she could hear the pride in his voice and it made her smile.

Emma gasped in pain and everyone looked at her in worry. Before she knew it everything went black.

"Emma!" David and Snow yelled as their daughter passed out suddenly. David ran out of the room for help. "Whale! Emma passed out!" David yelled as he saw Whale across the room.

Whale rushed over and went into the room after David. Whale quickly moved the bedside table out of the way before checking Emma's pulse and listening to her heart. He checked her incision site quickly. "Lucy go get OR 1 ready. She needs surgery."

"Surgery? She just had surgery." David said in a worried voice.

"Yes, I'll explain later, but right now, I need to get her to surgery." Whale said quickly.

"Ok." David said as they already were taking Emma off of her bed and onto another stretcher.

"You will need to come with me, we will need your consent for the surgery since she is unconscious." Whale said quickly.

David nodded and followed them. One of the nurses came up to David with a clipboard.

"This is the consent form." The nurse said.

David quickly signed it as he walked down the hall after where they were taking his daughter. He handed it back to the nurse, but kept walking with them not wanting to be far from his daughter.

As they get to the doors of the surgery, one of the nurses turned to David with a sympathetic look. "This is as far as you can go."

David nodded, but kept his eyes on his daughter as they went through the doors. He stepped up to the doors as they closed again and put his hand up against the window as he watched them push the hospital bed with his daughter down the hallway and around the corner.

After a few more moments, David turned to find the surgery secretary. "Hi, my daughter just went back for an emergency surgery. Could you make sure we are informed of any news about her? We will be in her hospital room."

"What's your daughter's name?"

"Emma Swan." David said.

"And what room?" The secretary asked.

"113." David answered. "Thank you." David said and then started back to the room.

David walks into the hospital room to see Snow and Henry look at him with concerned expressions.

"David, did they say anything?" Snow asked as she stayed by Henry's bed with her arm wrapped around his shoulders.

"No, but they are going to inform us of any news. I told them will be in here." David said.

"Is she going to be okay?" Henry asked in a shaky voice. Seeing his mother rushed out of the room had shook him to the core.

David walks over to the other side of Henry's bed and takes his hand in his. "She is going to be fine. Dr. Whale knows what he is doing." David reassured him.

Henry nodded, but he can't help feeling worried about his mom.

"Why don't you finish eating your dinner?" Snow said softly.

"And we can see if anything is on TV." David added, wanting to distract Henry or at least help the time pass while Emma is in surgery.

**3 hours later...**

Henry had fallen asleep two hours ago while watching Iron Man, which just happened to be on TV. Snow and David anxiously waited for news of their daughter. They had both at one point or another had went to ask the surgery secretary if she had heard anything about Emma and her surgery, but each time there was no new information.

"Charming, they took her three hours ago!" Snow whispered to David.

"I know, but surgery does take a while. I'm sure they will be in to talk to us soon, at least I hope they will be." David said confidently, but he is wearing the same worried expression as his wife.

"I hate this, David." Snow said.

"Me too." David said quietly as he takes Snow into his arms to hug her. David slowly rubs circles into his wife's back trying to comfort her as he could. Nothing, but seeing that Emma's was okay, would truly help either of them relax.

David sits down in one of the chairs and pulls his wife down to sit on his lap. "You must me tired." He said quietly as Snow laid her head against his shoulder.

"I am, but I'm not sleeping till I know she is okay." Snow responded.

"I know." David said with a knowing smile. Snow was stubborn and he didn't expect her to do any differently. He starts to rub his wife's back once again as he thinks of his daughter in another surgery. Was it a complication from her other surgery or was it a new problem from getting beat up by King George and his men?

"David?" Snow asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Hmm?" David responded absently, still worrying about Emma.

"She will be okay, right?" Snow asked.

"Yes, she will be." David said confidently. He had no doubt in his mind that she would be okay even though he was extremely worried, he had the faith that she would be just fine.

"Good." Snow said softly, but you can hear the worry she has for her daughter in her voice.

David kisses her head and keeps rubbing her back as they sit there waiting for new about their daughter.

After another half hour, Whale comes in the room and they all walk outside of the room so they don't wake up Henry as they talk.

"She is stable now and in the recovery area. There had been a complication from her surgery, but were able to go in and fix it. If you want I can take you to where she is." Whale said.

David and Snow exchange a look trying to decide which one of them will go and which one of them will stay with Henry. "Snow, why don't you go and I'll stay with Henry." David said after a moment.

"Ok, then we can switch after she wakes up." Snow added.

"Okay, follow me." Whale said and started leading the way.

It didn't take long for them to get to Emma.

"She will probably wake up within the next half hour." Whale informed Snow as they enter the little cubicle where Emma was.

"Thank you, Whale." Snow said as she walked to Emma's side and sat down in the chair beside the bed.

Snow gently brushed Emma's hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. She looked so pale from the surgery and so very young. She let a few tears escape her eyes as she looked at her daughter. She was so relieved that she was okay that she couldn't help it. She leaned down and kissed Emma's forehead.

Snow settled back in her chair, but grabbed on to Emma's hand to hold as she waited for Emma to wake up from the anesthesia. The nurses come in and out ever fifteen minutes to take Emma's vitals before leaving again.

"Mom." Emma mumbled as she saw her mom sitting in the chair beside the bed.

"Hey sweetie, you're awake." Snow said softly with a smile.

"What happen?" Emma asked as she started to try to sit up.

"You had to go back into surgery there was a complication, but they fixed it and you are going to be just fine now." Snow answered softly as she gently kept Emma from sitting up.

"Oh." Emma said softly and then looks around the room. "Where's Dad?" Emma asked with a confused look.

"He is with Henry. We figured you would want one of us with him. In a little bit, we will switch places." Snow explained as she touched Emma's face gently.

"Oh. Thank you, that makes me feel better." Emma said as she closes her eyes again.

"Your welcome, sweetie." Snow responded with a small smile.

Emma opened her eyes again and looked over to her mom. "When can I go home?"

"I don't know. We will just have to wait and see." Snow said with a sympathetic smile. They all wanted to go home, but neither Emma nor Henry was ready to go home.

Emma groaned. "I don't like it here. It brings up bad memories and dreams." Emma mumbled as a tear runs down her cheek.

"Oh Emma." Snow said with a frown. "Do you want to talk about them?"

Emma grimaced. "Maybe later. Just having you here helps a lot."

"Ok, whenever you need to talk your father and I are more than happy to listen." Snow said as she wiped Emma's tears away with her thumb.

Emma gave her mom a small smile before closing her eyes again. She was still feeling sleepy from the anesthesia.

The nurse came over after a few minutes and took Emma's vitals again.

"Excuse me, when will she be able to go back to her room?" Snow asked.

"In another hour they will take her back to her room." The nurse answered Snow.

"Okay, thank you." Snow smiled softly at the nurse.

Snow turned to Emma. "How are you feeling?" Snow asked.

"I don't really feel much right now." Emma responded truthfully.

"Well I guess that's good." Snow said with a chuckle. "Do you think you will be okay for a few minutes?"

Emma nodded. "You are going to switch places?" She asked with a grin.

"Yes." Snow responded with a grin.

"You know I'm a grown woman, right?" Emma said with a cheeky grin.

"Yes, but you will always be my baby girl." Snow said as she kissed Emma's forehead.

Emma rolled her eyes, but smiled at the affection her mother was showing her.

"I'll see you in a little bit and your dad will be here in a few minutes." Snow said as she squeezed Emma's hand. "Are you sure you will be okay?" Snow asked.

"Mom, I'll be fine." Emma responded a little exasperated at the over-protectiveness of her mom, yet very touched by it.

"Ok." Snow said with a worried expression before turning to walk back towards the hospital room. She walked really fast not wanting Emma to be alone for too long. She didn't like leaving Emma after being worried for her for so long, but she knew David was also worried about her and would want to see her.

"David." Snow said as she walked into the room and waved for him to come outside of the room. "She woke up a little bit ago and will be back in her in about another hour, but you can go sit with her till they bring her back. I'll stay with Henry."

"Ok, thank you, Snow." David said as gave Snow a quick hug. Snow quickly gave him instructions before hurrying him along to go see Emma.

David walked into where Emma was to see her sleeping or at least she looked like she was sleeping. He sat down in the chair Snow had recently vacated and grabbed Emma's hand.

Emma opened her eyes to see her Dad.

"Hey, Emma. How are you feeling?" David asked softly as he leaned closer to her.

"Hey Dad. I'm feeling fine, I don't really feel much of anything right now." Emma responded with a small smile.

"Hmm. I guess that's good." David said with a smile.

"That's just what mom said." Emma said with a smirk.

David smiled.

"When do you think they will let me go home?" Emma asked after a moment.

"Maybe in a day or two." David responded, knowing it wasn't the answer Emma wanted.

"But I don't want to be here. Why can't I just recover at home? It's not like it's any different." Emma complained.

"It is different, Emma. Here they can watch you and make sure you are okay. They will let you go home when you are well enough, but this surgery probably pushed the time back a little." David replied softly.

"I know, I just don't want to do this anymore." Emma explained, as a few more tears escaped against her will.

"I know, but you aren't alone and before you know it you will be home again." David assured Emma as he wiped away the tears from her cheeks.

"Now, why don't you sleep for a little while before they move you." David added with a small grin.

Emma nodded and closed her eyes. She felt her Dad squeeze her hand as she drifted off to sleep.

_I knew it from the moment I met this guy that he was dangerous, but I had a job to do and something to prove. But, now I'm running down an alley in a tight dress with 2-inch heels away from this man. _

_I run and run, but I'm not fast enough and I haven't had much experience running in heels. _

_Before I know it, I have tripped and fallen on the ground. No. I need to get out of here. _

_I scramble up to my feet, but as I stand the man catches up to me. _

_"You should have worn better shoes..." Devin says sarcastically and the sound of his voice sends a chill down my spine. _

_He pushes me against the wall and I punch him in the gut. He slaps my face before I punch him in the face causing him to lose his grip on me. I take my chance to kick him as hard as I can. He falls to the ground and I start to run, but his hand catches my leg and I fall to the ground. No! _

_Before I can get up, Devin is on top of me and I see a silver glint, which I realize is a knife. I struggle against his hold, but he puts the knife to my throat. "I wouldn't want your throat to accidentally get sliced." Devin says with a wicked grin. _

_He is going to hurt me and he is going to enjoy it. No one will know that I'm hurt and I'll bleed out in the alley. I'll die alone, but that shouldn't be a surprise to me...I've always been alone. _

_He raises the knife and I feel a sharp, sickening pain as it goes into my side and I black out thinking my life is over, but maybe that's not such a bad thing..._

_**Love to hear your thoughts! Please Review! :) **_

_**Will Continue Soon!**_


	21. Brave

**Title: A Family's Faith**

**Disclaimer: **_**Once Upon A Time **_**and its characters belong to Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and are owned by ABC. Not Mine! **

**Warning: K+ (Fights with swords and guns- minor violence) **

**Author's Note: Chapter 21! Hope you like this chapter! :) Thanks for the reviews! It was nice to hear from all of you again! :) Enjoy! :) **

_**Chapter 21: Brave **_

_He raises the knife and I feel a sharp, sickening pain as it goes into my side and I black out thinking my life is over, but maybe that's not such a bad thing..._

"Emma."

Emma tossed and turned as she slept with a look of distress on her face. David could tell she was having a nightmare, but she was in a deep sleep from the anesthesia and pain medication she had been on in surgery.

"Emma, wake up sweetie." David said as he shook her uninjured shoulder to try to bring her out of her nightmare.

Emma woke up with a start and had a confused look in her eyes. "What..." She started.

"It's okay. It was just a dream. Just relax." David comforted her.

Emma relaxed some and closed her eyes for a second as David rubbed the side her arm. She opened her eyes again to see she was still in the recovery room.

"Do you want to talk about it?" David asked after a moment of silence.

Emma moved her head side to side indicating that she would rather not talk about her nightmare.

"Ok." David said softly as he touched her face lightly with his hand before bringing his hand down to hold her hand.

Emma closed her eyes again, but them opened them a second later to look at David.

"What is it, Emma?" David asked as he saw the look on Emma's face. It was a mixture of fear and worry.

"I..." Emma started, but then looked down at the sheets.

David waits for a moment knowing Emma wants to say something to him, but when she doesn't say anything he gently lifts her chin so that she is looking at him. "You can tell me anything, Emma."

"I don't want to sleep, but I'm tired." Emma said after a moment and a tear slides down her cheek as she mentioned she was tired.

David's heart broke a little at hearing her admit she was tired and he wasn't surprised that she was so tired after everything she as been through. But for her to admit to being tired was something she doesn't normally do. "You don't want to sleep because of your nightmare?" David asked even though he knew the answer.

Emma nodded as a few more tears fell down her face.

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but it could help. Are you sure you don't want to tell me about it?" David asked softly.

"I'm not ready yet." Emma said in a shaky voice.

"It's okay, Emma." David said softly as he touches her cheek and then wipes her tears away. He could tell that whatever her nightmare was went deeper than just a dream. She was practically shaking thinking about it.

"Dad?" Emma asked as more tears fall down her face. She wasn't sure why she was so emotional right now, but she just wanted to feel safe.

"Yes, Em?" David responded with a concerned look. He wasn't sure what she wanted from him, but his heart was breaking seeing her so exhausted and emotional.

"Can you...I mean do you think it would be okay if...I hugged you?" Emma said through her tears, but regretted it after she felt embarrassed by her request. She just wanted to feel safe at least for a moment.

David heart stopped at her request and then smiled because that was something he could do to help her. "I think that would be okay, but why don't I hug you? We wouldn't want you to break open your stitches." David said with a soft smile.

"Ok." Emma replied with a tiny smile.

David sits on the bed carefully and hugs his daughter being gentle with her. He thought it was precious that she just wanted a hug from him, but he thought it was mostly because she needed comfort. He held her to him until he felt like she had calmed down. He leaned back a little and wiped the rest of her tears away before kissing her forehead. "Feeling better?" David asked without moving from his position on the bed.

Emma nodded with a smile.

"Good. Do you think you can sleep now?" David asked slowly.

"Yeah, but you will be here, right?" Emma asked.

"Of course. I'm not leaving and soon they will be taking you back to the room." David said.

"Ok." Emma said before she closed her eyes, but she had a tight grip on her Dad's hand.

David didn't move from his spot on the bed hoping that Emma would feel safe to fall asleep knowing he was right there. He gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear with his free hand. It didn't take long for Emma to fall asleep. He sighed in relief and he hoped she wouldn't have any more nightmares. He kissed her forehead once more before carefully getting off the bed to sit in the chair again, but he never let go of her hand.

*****OUAT*****

As they moved a sleeping Emma from one bed to the other, Snow walked over to Charming's side. "How is she?" She asked.

"She's exhausted and emotional. She had a nightmare about half an hour ago that really shook her up, but I finally was able to get her to go back to sleep." David explained quietly as the hospital staff left the room while nurse made sure Emma was settled.

"I'm guessing she didn't want to talk about her nightmare?" Snow said softly.

"Yeah, she said she wasn't ready yet." David explained.

Snow frowned wondering what Emma meant by that response, but before she could ask David what he thought she meant the nurse came up to them.

"I set up her pain meds again so all she has to do is push the button when she needs some. Also if she or Henry need anything you can press the call button." The nurse explained.

"Thank you." Snow said softly before the nurse left the room. By this time it was a little past eleven at night. She could see the exhaustion on David's face and she knew it mirrored her own exhaustion. It had been a long day, well a long couple of days for all of them.

David kissed Snow's forehead before heading to the chair on the left side of Emma's bed while Snow sat down in a chair between the beds. "We better get some sleep while we can." David said quietly as he got as comfortable as possible in his chair.

"Goodnight, David." Snow whispered softly.

"Night, Snow." David whispered back to his wife.

*****OUAT*****

_He raises the knife and I feel a sharp, sickening pain as it goes into my side..._

_The last thing I remember was dying...I'm I in heaven? No, I'm in too much pain to be in heaven. I open my eyes to see a white ceiling and white walls. I realize I'm in a bed, a hospital bed, and I'm attached to a machine. I'm in a hospital. Someone must have found me and called an ambulance. _

_I start to panic as I realize that I'm in the hospital. This place holds no happy memories, but feelings of being lonely, scared, and hurt. A place where it is very evident that I have no family and no friends. I'm alone. _

_I close my eyes to try to sleep, but when I close them I see Devin with his knife and have to reopen my eyes. I can't sleep, but I'm so tired. _

_The nurse comes over to me when she sees that I am awake. "Hi, Ms. Swan. How are you feeling?" _

_"I'm fine." I say automatically. _

_The nurse narrows her eyes and I try to keep my eyes open. "Don't fight the sleep, it will help you recover."_

_"I'm not tired." I say stubbornly. "And I don't need to be here." I add as I start to get out of the bed. _

_"I need help over here!" The nurse called as she went straight for me. "Bring a sedative!" _

_"No! No! You can't keep me here!" I yell to them, but they are no match for me. _

_I feel a pinch in my arm and then I feel myself get really sleepy and limp. My eyes shut against my will and I see Devin with his knife. _

_The next thing I know, I am running down the alley from Devin with my heart beating one hundred miles per hour. _

**3:45 am **(**In Emma's perspective**)

I wake up with a start, breathing hard and with my heart racing, to see that everyone is asleep. Dad is by my left side, Mom is by right side, and Henry is in the bed next to me.

I can't calm myself down and I know I am panicking. If I don't calm down I'm going to make myself sick, I can feel it. I want to wake one or both of my parents, but they need their sleep so I can't wake them.

I can't help, but think of Devin chasing me down the alley with his knife. I feel myself shaking from my fear. This is dumb I need to calm down. I'm safe here with my family, but I can't seem to calm down. I feel the telltale sign that I am going to throw up.

No. I can't throw up especially right now in my bed, but I can't get up either. I glance at my mom and then my dad, but it's too late. I throw up.

(**End of Emma's POV - Back to Normal**)

David woke up to someone, namely his daughter, throwing up on herself. "It's okay, Emma." David said as he pushed the call button for help. He went into the bathroom and took a rag to get it wet to bring back to his daughter.

Emma had tears in her eyes as he walked back in the room and looked embarrassed, but she looked like she was feeling terrible. He smiled softly at her before he started wiping her face with the rag, starting with her forehead and then wiping her mouth off.

"I'm sorry." Emma mumbled.

"Hey, none of that. No need to be sorry." David whispered to Emma.

"What's going on?" Snow asked as she woke up to see her husband up with her daughter. "Oh Emma." Snow added when she sees the mess Emma made from throwing up.

"I pushed the button, but the nurse hasn't come. I'll go check." David said as he handed the rag to Snow before going to find a nurse.

"Are you not feeling good, sweetie?" Snow asked as she tries to clean off Emma's hands.

"I just got worked up." Emma admitted with an ashamed look.

"Over what?" Snow asked softly.

"I had another dream, well a nightmare." Emma admitted as she looked at her mom.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Snow asked, wondering it was the same one she had earlier.

"I don't want to, but maybe it will help?" Emma said looking at her mom.

"Ok." Snow said with a soft, sympathetic smile at Emma's dilemma.

Before Emma could start to share, David came back in the room with the nurse who had a pile of linens in her hands. "Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?" The nurse said with a soft smile.

David excused himself from the room to let the nurse and Snow help Emma while he went to go get some coffee. He wasn't sure how long it would take so after he got his coffee and Snow's coffee from the machine; he waited outside of the room till the nurse came out.

After a few more minutes, the nurse came out and he walked in. He handed Snow the coffee cup and then went to Emma's left side. He gently touched her face and smiled. "Feel better?"

Emma nodded with tiny smile.

"Good." David said before kissing Emma's forehead.

"Emma, do you still want to share your dream with us?" Snow asked softly, hoping Emma would still want to get it off her chest. Snow saw fear flash through Emma's eyes and panic settle in them. She exchanged a look with David and knew he had seen the same thing in Emma's eyes.

"Yeah..." Emma answered after a moment. "It's more of a memory than a dream because it really happen." Emma started, but then looked between her parents who gave her encouraging smiles to continue. She opened her mouth to start, but then she felt the panic all over again and she couldn't continue. She felt her breathing escalate and her heartbeat start to race. She wanted to tell them, but she couldn't get past the fear. She had to try though so she began, "I was on a case and it went bad. I tried to run from him, but he..."

Snow and David watched, as Emma literally couldn't go on with her story. She was breathing unevenly and shaking. She was afraid to even tell the story. "Emma, it's okay. Just breathe. Your safe with us." David said as he sat on the edge of the bed in front of Emma.

Snow grabbed Emma's hand and sat on the bed, but on Emma's right side. "Emma, if you don't want to tell us anymore it's okay." Snow said after a moment.

Emma can't help it when she bursts in to tears. She wants to tell them, but she can't get it all out. "But I want to, I just can't." Emma cried.

David couldn't take it anymore so he carefully slipped one arm under Emma's knees and one arm under her shoulders. Snow saw what he was doing and helped him, making sure that her IV didn't get pulled out. David carefully settled himself on the bed with Emma in his arms as Snow laid beside him. Good thing the beds are big or else they wouldn't have been able to do this.

"Shh, baby. We've got you. You're safe." David murmured to Emma as she continued to cry into his shirt.

Snow kissed Emma's forehead and ran her fingers through Emma's hair. "Your dad is right, you are safe and we aren't going to let anything happen to you." Snow whispered to Emma.

Emma nodded against David's chest. She takes a deep breath thinking maybe she could tell the rest, maybe just maybe she could this time. "He chased me down the alley. I tripped and fell because of the heels I was wearing. I got to my feet fast, but he had caught up with me."

David and Snow waited patiently for Emma to continue. They didn't want to push her, but she seemed like she wanted to tell them. Emma was crying again and it was seriously breaking his heart to see her so afraid to tell this story. "Shh, Emma. You don't have to finish it if you don't want to." David said to Emma as Snow rubbed circles into her back.

Emma opened her eyes to look at her dad and then her mom. She wanted to tell them and she knew when she looked at them that she could. "We fought and I tried to get away from him, but he was stronger than me and he had a knife. He stabbed me with it in my side and I thought I was going to die. No one would even miss me."

David looked over to Snow to see tears streaming down her eyes and he knows he has tears on his face as well. _This man stabbed my daughter? I can't even believe that she went through something like this. No wonder it is haunting her in her dreams. _

"What happen next, sweetie?" Snow asked pulling David from his thoughts.

"They told me that someone interrupted him and he ran off. The person called 911 and told them where I was, but then left the scene before they could ask him any questions. I never found out who it was, but he saved my life. I woke up in the hospital after having emergency surgery. They wanted me to go back to sleep, but whenever I closed my eyes I saw him. I saw Devin so I tried to leave the hospital, but they sedated me. I dreamed about him over and over again. They kept me sedated most of the time because whenever I woke up I would try to leave because I didn't want to sleep." Emma explained in a very quiet voice that her parents had to strain to hear.

"Emma, honey." Snow started and turned Emma's head to look at her. "I am so proud of you. It took courage to tell that story." Snow said softly with a smile.

"Your mother's right, Em. That was very brave." David added.

Emma didn't expect this response from her parents and was really shocked that they would be proud of her for something she was always ashamed of. "But it wasn't brave...I was weak." Emma choked out.

"Why do you think you were weak?" Snow asked.

"Because if I was stronger I wouldn't have been stabbed in the first place. It was my fault that it happened and crying while I told you guys isn't brave it's weak." Emma said as she looked down.

"For one, just because you cried doesn't make you weak. Crying isn't something that makes us weak, but a way for us to deal with things to make us stronger. It takes more courage to show our feelings then it does to hide them. It's okay to cry and it doesn't make you weak, but shows that you are alive and feel something." Snow explained to her daughter.

"And Emma, the person that was weak in that situation was that man not you. You fought hard even though this man was stronger than you and had a weapon, but you still fought hard, you didn't give up. You were brave and I am proud of you for it." David added.

"And Sweetie, that was not your fault. That man was weak when he hurt you and he was in the wrong, not you." Snow added.

"I may have been brave then, but you don't understand I wasn't brave later." Emma said with an ashamed look on her face, thinking of the years after she got stabbed. "They said I had PTSD and I saw a psychiatrist for almost two years before I quit."

"Emma, look at me." David said sitting up a little. Emma kept her eyes on the blanket in front of her. "Emma Ruth, look at me." David repeated sternly.

Emma knew that tone of voice and she couldn't not look at him even though she didn't want to. Emma looked into his eyes fearing that she would see disappointment, but all she could see was pride and love.

"Emma, having PTSD and having to deal with it on your own is something that was very brave of you to do, especially since you had to deal with it on your own. Also I'm proud of you for having the courage to fight it. It's not easy getting over PTSD even with a good support system, but you did it. You see Emma, it's not about how we fall, it's about how we get up and keep living. And you, my girl, were brave enough to get back up and keep living despite your fear, despite your experience. You were brave and you still are brave." David said firmly, yet with pride in the tone of his voice.

Emma believed him and for once didn't feel ashamed of her history of PTSD. "Thank you." Emma said softly looking between her parents.

They both smiled softly at her, hoping that their talk with their daughter would help her sleep better.

"You think you can sleep now?" Snow asked as she wiped Emma's tears from her eyes.

"Yeah, but can you guys stay with me for a little bit?" Emma asked softly, feeling like a little girl.

"Of course, sweetheart." Snow responded with a smile.

David kissed Emma's forehead before saying, "Sleep well, kiddo."

Snow kissed Emma's cheek before saying, "Love you, Em."

Emma smiled before closing her eyes. "Love you guys too." She snuggled deeper into her father's shirt and squeezed her mother's hand before drifting off to sleep.

David and Snow looked at each other, both of them had tears in their eyes from the story Emma just told them, but they were both proud of their girl who had managed to get through it alone. They just hated that once again she had gone through something alone without them.

David stretched his arm so that it was over Snow's shoulder giving her comfort. They closed their eyes as well getting a few more minutes of sleep before the day would start, but neither of them could think of anything besides what Emma went through.

_**Love to hear your thoughts! Please Review! :) **_

Up Next: I think Emma may have some nicer dreams in the near future :)


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